


The Strength to Let Someone In

by Raynacch_Silvermoon



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Biting, F/M, Kissing, Romance, Roughness, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-01-20 16:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 117,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1516961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raynacch_Silvermoon/pseuds/Raynacch_Silvermoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reaped in District 4 she might have had a chance, till they called him. Now she would sacrifice everything for her partner to go home. But when Cato catches her scent he decides to challenge her decisions. He wants her to know he is her only choice when it comes to surviving. Can they survive the arena and the rebellion? Tribute escape. Cato/OC, Minor Character pairings as well.</p><p>I will be adding the graphic content as the chapters progress and using the subsequent tags.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: The character's name is pronounced  _ **Luck-t-er-ah**_. I have a physical description below which is actually based on me. For those of you that know sports she is built like a rugby player, so girly but someone that would definitely be considered physically strong at first look. She is feminine in that she has a large chest and curvy but when compared to say Glimmer she would look bigger and stronger. Think pin-up girl or Rosie the Riveter.

* * *

Chapter One:

The Luck Has Run Out

Another year and another reaping. Thankfully this year brought her closer to the last year that she would be in the pool. There really wasn't anything that she could do, her name was only in there once from what she could remember, but with the Capitol, you never knew.

Walking down to the pier she brought her attention back to where she was headed. Work. District 4. Home of the fisheries and while not a poor district by any means, there were those, like her, that were not extremely well off. Walking into the large processing plant she huffed to herself. Picking up her apron, tying back her hair and putting on her elbow high protective gloves she readied herself for another gruelling day of work.

"Hey Luctra you're on the hang line today." Said her supervisor as Luctra walked into the processing part of the plant.

"Alright Mewas. Do you have the face shield for me then?" Luctra asked as she stopped at the base of the elevated platform where the control panel was located. The supervisors sat there in order to keep track of the production lines and any mishaps that occurred. Mewas threw down a fibreglass face shield (AN: think welding mask but clear) and smiled. "Also saved you the best carvers too." Mewas said.

Luctra smiled at the old man. Out of all the supervisors he was her favourite, which is probably why she was always scheduled on his shifts. That and she had one of the highest processing rates which made him look more efficient.

"Thanks Mewas. I won't be in tomorrow." Luctra informed him as she put on the face shield.

"Yeah I know the Reaping. Don't worry I won't let them take my best, plus the Capitol would be appalled at your fish stink." Mewas grinned, but they both knew there was nothing he could do if she did in fact get Reaped.

Luctra rolled her eyes. "Careful old man or I'll stuff you in the bait grinder." Mewas laughed as she turned and headed to the tool locker. Entering the locker Mewas picked up the carvers that Mewas had set aside for her on the back table, behind an old cloudy tank. It was the hiding spot he used to set aside things she would need for her shift, since it was competitive in the plant for the best tools.

In one hand she held a forearmed sized meat hook and in the other a double edged knife that reached just passed her elbow. Luctra was not a small girl by any means. Standing at 5"8 with broad shoulders and a well-developed upper body from working she was unlike most of the female workers at the plant, who were petite and worked the filleting and packaging sections. Due to her size and weight, about 185lbs, Luctra was able to work the hanging lines which paid much better.

Tools in hand Luctra walked into the section that held the hanging line processing area. Now the hanging line was literally what it sounds like. Giant fish, such as Talec, Bufar, Hanr, came into this part hung on metal hooks from a conveyor in the roof. It was the hanging line workers job to cut open the fish, which were about 1 ½ her size remove the entrails, dorsal fins, scales and side fins, depending on the fish, without damaging the meat. It was a precision job that required a lot of strength so it paid well since some people who were strong were not precise enough and ruined the sellable meat, while others were not strong enough to last cutting the tough parts for a full shift.

Luctra walked into the room and smiled at the other men, and one woman waiting against the wall. Once the bell went the shift change would take place. Walking passed each person Luctra touched face shields with them, the hang line way of saying hello. She was well liked by her colleagues; she didn't complain and had a wicked sense of humour, though her temper sometimes scared them, until she cooled down.

"Hello Brewas how is your son doing?" Luctra asked as she took a place between two ogre sized men.

"He's feeling better, won't be climbing trees for a while." He chuckled. Though there was an apprehensive look in his eyes. A look that Luctra completely understood. His son had just turned 12 and would be part of the Reaping for the first time.

"Don't worry Brewas, the whole 'First time's the charm' is not your son's MO at all." Luctra supplied. He gave her a tight smile as the bell sounded appreciating her effort to make him feel better. Taking their places on the line Luctra got to work. The only part about the job that she really disliked was the gutting. Everything just fell to the floor, to be pushed into the chum hole by the cleaners between fish. If that wasn't gross enough sometimes there were little surprises inside the giant fish. She actually vomited the first time she saw a human body part, a hand, fall out of one of the fish. Unfortunately it was something you got used to after a while.

The day passed in routine for Luctra. Slice, spill, slice, scale, lunch, slice, spill, slice, scale. The day passed far too fast for her liking considering what was taking place tomorrow. At the end of her shift she headed back to the tool shed with the others, making small talk while cleaning her tools and then putting them away. Hanging up her face shield she let out a sigh. She had a weird feeling in her stomach.

"It's gonna be alright Luc's." Srita comforted. (AN: Nickname pronounced Lucks)

Luctra gave her a shaky smile. "It has been so far right?" The others around her nodded their heads. Her coworkers stood around her awkwardly until Brewas cracked. Coming up to Luctra he enveloped her in a big hug. Afterwards he squeezed her tight and patted her on the back as he let her go. All the others followed his example not wanting to see anything happen to Luctra but needing a last contact if something did. Nothing was said, it was hopeful that it would not be necessary.

* * *

Luctra awoke late in the afternoon the next day. She had always stayed in bed till the last possible moment on Reaping days. Rising from the bed finally she went to her closet and pulled out a baggy T-shirt she normally wore to work, loose fitting black cargo pants and her favourite underwear set. Her green and grey sports bra and matching booty shorts. Nothing special but she loved the fabric and how it feminized her strong body. Also it was practical considering what could happen. Fully dressed with her hair pulled back Luctra walked down the stairs of her house into the dining room where her family would be for breakfast. No one in her family had ever been Reaped so she was hoping the lucky streak would continue today.

"Hey bro, get enough beauty sleep?" Luctra's older brother asked her. He had always liked to make fun of her for her size and strength, since she refused to dress in a feminine manner just to make herself less intimidating to others. Dressing girly was for days off and celebrations, which were few and far between for her.

"What does my outfit tell you?" Luctra shot back.

"Go back to bed." Her brother, Faer, snorted.

Luctra glared at her brother as she took her seat at the dining table. Her mother was laying out the spread for the morning. Putting a little more effort to make it special, like she normally did on Reaping days. Though it didn't compare to the feast she made when Luctra and Faer made it through another selection. Faer laughed at her as she filled her plate with food, glaring at him occasionally. Faer had been out of the Reaping pool for two Reapings now.

"Where's Dad?" Luctra questioned noticing his absence from the table. Her Mom came in carrying a container of juice from the kitchen.

"He was called to the ship. Two hands down so he is getting double pay and a half." Her Mom related. Luctra nodded her head. It was something her father couldn't pass up, even on reaping day.

"No problem. Just means dinner tonight better be super special." Luctra teased. Her mother smiled softly. Leave it to her daughter to never hold something against someone. She was too unselfish for her mother's liking, never thinking about herself, but always about other people.

"Of course sweetheart. We'll even make sure your brother only gets vegetables." Her mother jeered.

"HEY." Faer protested. Luctra laughed. Though she could eat fine she still had that nagging feeling. She found herself memorizing her family as they were right now. Her brother's laugh and fake hurt expression, her mother smiling innocently at her son's reaction. This was her family and she wanted to imprint them to her memory.

She was glad she did this later.

* * *

Waiting with the group of girls in front of the Justice Building Luctra was bored as hell. The girls around her dressed nicely, some a little over the top just in case they got caught on camera. Pathetic. Though if you're gonna die soon, why not leave looking good? Not that Luctra could go and change, though for the first time during a Reaping she wished she had worn something a little, well, more appealing. She shook her head at the weirdness of her thinking that.

The sound of someone tapping on the microphone brought Luctra out of her thoughts. She couldn't stop her face from scrunching up in horror and disbelief. On the steps of the justice building stood the escort for District 4: Petal Dust. That's right, Petal Dust was her name and her costume was just as stupid. The woman was dressed up in an outrageous outfit that looked like a giant Venus Fly Trap. While slightly fitting for the occasion, Luctra thought the pink and green and techno coloured outfit made her look like a freak show on heels.

"Boys and Girls welcome to the 74th Hunger Games Reaping ceremony and may the odds be ever in your favour!" Petal announced.  _'Odds are that no one wants to get picked dingbat!_ ' Luctra thought as the all too familiar video began to play on the surrounding screens. After the video Petal began talking again.

"Wonderful just wonderful. Now let's see who will represent District 4 for the girls this year!" Petal declared. She swished her hand around the giant fishbowl and pulled out the chosen piece of paper.

"LUCTRA FANTO!" She shouted into the microphone. Luctra felt her heart stop and everything around her go quiet. She literally felt like she turned off until a Peacekeeper came up and grabbed her upper arm forcing her into the pathway and pushing her towards the stairs.

Standing up beside Petal, Luctra felt numb. She was going into the Hunger Games. Her family's luck had run out, and so was her time alive. The feeling of doom washed over her until Petal announced the male tribute.

"DASH VAFSET." Petal shouted.  _'God no. Not Dash.'_  Luctra silently prayed. But it was no use. The little 12 year-old boy looked petrified as he walked up to the stairs. Walking up the stairs like a zombie. Petal took both their wrists and raised them in their air on either side of her.

"Ladies and gentlemen the tributes for District 4!" She cheered. Everyone in the audience clapped loudly, mostly because they were happy it wasn't them, and really, Luctra couldn't blame them. Petal stepped back and she instructed Dash and Luctra to shake hands. They did and then they were filed into the Justice Building into separate rooms where they could say their goodbyes.

Pacing the room Luctra was fuming. Not for herself but for Dash. Reaching out, she grabbed the nearest object, a glass bowl, and hurled it at the wall. Screaming out in fury as it shattered against the wall into a thousand pieces. A second later the door opened.

"Hey sis." Faer whispered. He must have been really upset to call her sis. She was at a loss. For the first time it hit her. If she came home, Dash was dead, if she didn't she would never see her brother again. The latter taking over her emotions she launched herself into her brothers arms. She couldn't and didn't try to stop the tears that began to flow.

"Shhhushh, hey it's gonna be ok." Faer murmured into her hair as he rubbed her back. Comforting her like he would when she was made fun of at school when she was little, or had a nightmare. Only this time she was going to be walking straight into the nightmare.

"Ho—ww is it go—ing to be ok?" Luctra croaked out between tears.

"You're strong and stubborn. Things that will actually work in your favour for once." Faer replied.

"He's right sweetheart." Her mother's voice drifted from behind her brother. Lifting her face from her brother's chest and moving out of his arms Luctra looked teary eyed towards her mother.

"Mom if I win it means Dash dies." Luctra choked out. Her mother stormed up to Luctra and did something that she had never done to either of her children. She slapped Luctra across the face, hard. Luctra's head snapped to the side, Faer stood in complete shock. Bringing her hand up to her cheek Luctra turned her face to her mother, half hurt and half pissed off.

"FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, Luctra you have to be selfish!" Her mother snapped. Luctra stared into her mother's eyes and she saw it. Pure fear. Her mother was terrified that Luctra was going to die, or worse, sacrifice herself. The anger drained from her body, and she did the thing she knew her mom needed. Luctra enveloped her mom in a bear hug, holding her as tight as possible.

"I can't let the games change me Mom." Luctra wept. "I would rather die a human with a conscious then live a monster with none." Her mom let out a sob into her shoulder. A Peacekeeper opened the door, coldly telling them that time was up. Releasing her mother Luctra put on a teary faced smile.

"Tell Dad I love him." Luctra asked. Her mother nodded and made her way to the door. "And Faer?" She called to her brother. He stopped at the door and turned back to his sister, maybe for the last time.

"Yeah sis?" He managed through a tight throat.

"Tell Brewas I'm sorry. First time charm jinx." Luctra quivered. He brother sadly nodded, not fully understanding, but she knew he would pass on the message to Dash's father.

* * *

AN: Hello All! First chapter to a wonderful story I have planned. If you come across spelling mistakes please inform me as I tend to type fast and miss things. Now this is a Cato/OC fanfiction but I am more than willing to do more couples from within the tributes. This story is also available on my FFN account!

Thanks for the reviews and the next chapter will be up soon!

Love

Raynacch


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: Enjoy! And please send me feedback, especially about the questions I asked.

Chapter Two:

Train ride with a jerk

Luctra boarded the train to the Capitol, Dash following closely behind her. She wondered how in Panem Petal was going to get onto the train with her explosion of a dress. She got her answer as they approached the train and Petal ripped off the outer layer of 'leaves' from the dress leaving her in a ghastly green pencil skirt.  _'At least she thought ahead.'_  Luctra concluded as she stepped onto the train.

The inside of the train was decorated with over the top style, typical of the Capitol. Chandeliers, plush seats, tables with mountains of mouth-watering food. All it said to Luctra was  _'We know you're going to die but thank you for being entertaining in doing so.'_  It really ticked Luctra off.

"Take a seat, take a seat." Petal bubbled. Seeing no reason to fight her on it Luctra plopped down onto one of the plush arm chairs. Missing the cringe from Petal at her unlady like behaviour. Dash took a seat as close to Luctra as possible, sitting on the armrest of her chair. Her and Dash were close and Luctra knew he was taking comfort in being close to her.

"Congratulations on being chosen. You're going to be showered with attention in the Capitol." Petal congratulated. Luctra plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Great!" Petal smiled at Luctra's response. "Is that before or after we're showered with knives, mutations or disease by the CAPITOL Gamemakers?" Luctra sneered. Petal's smile fell and she seemed taken aback by Luctra's response. The girl was intimidating that's for sure Petal thought.

"Well-a-that's-a—" Petal stammered.

"A way to piss off the Gamemakers." A smooth voice from the left interrupted. Turning to face the voice Luctra found herself staring into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. There leaning on the door to the connecting the compartment was Finnick Odair. Luctra had watched his Hunger Games when she was little. If he was cute then he was devastating now. So Luctra decided to treat him the way she treated all attractive males. Like a bitch. Staring at him Luctra just raised her eyebrow.

"And a way to not get any sponsors." Finnick added.

"I don't think I have to worry about sponsors if your reputation for sleeping with rich Capitol women is even half true." Luctra stated. Finnick raised an eyebrow at her, while Petal looked like she was about to faint. Sensing the tension Dash spoke.

"So you're our mentor?" Dash piped in. Finnick shifted his gaze to Dash giving him a charming smile. Luctra could see why the women in the Capitol swoon over him.

"Yes I am. Finnick Odair. And you are?" Finnick greeted.

"I'm Dash Vafset." Dash responded getting up and approaching Finnick. When he reached him Dash put out his hand. It seemed to amuse Finnick how polite Dash was. Finnick shook his hand with a genuine smile on his face. Finnick looked back to Luctra expectantly. Luctra stared back with both her eyebrows raised and jaw clinched tightly.

"You're going to be trouble I just know it." Finnick groaned turning his head to the roof of the train like he was telling it something. Luctra smirked. At least Finnick wasn't stupid.

"Now now. I'm sure it's just the shock of the situation." Petal offered. "Perhaps you would like to shower up before we sit down for dinner."

"Yeah. That's not a bad idea." Luctra commented. A hot shower might take some of the tension of her shoulders, and improve her attitude towards Finnick. After all he was going to be partly responsible for keeping her alive.

"Ok. Your room is in the next compartment and to the left." Petal informed her.

"Thank you. I'll be back for dinner." Luctra said. Petal smiled but Luctra could tell she was surprised at Luctra's polite response. Getting up from the chair Luctra made her way to the door, on the other side of the compartment from Finnick and entered the hallway to her room. Seeing a door to her left marked 'Girl' Luctra figured it was hers. Opening the door she found a lavishly decorated room in blues and greens, the theme, she realised, was that of the sea. Minus all the crystals and pearls that were stuck to EVERYTHING it was a pretty room. Spotting a door that she assumed was a bathroom Luctra shut the door to the hall and locked it behind her.

Stripping down Luctra entered the just as lavish bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror she took down her hair and scratched her scalp. Her hair was nothing impressive, brown with flecks of auburn. Her eyes were a little puffy from crying but the green in her hazel eyes was standing out right now, like it normally did when she was crying or around water.

"How can I be out of time?" She quietly asked her reflection. Shaking her head she hopped into the shower trying to wash away the weight of the situation.

Stepping out of the shower Luctra searched the drawers and realised that none of the clothes stocked would fit her right. Putting back on her own bra Luctra threw on the Capitol robe and opened the door to the hall a crack. Looking and seeing no one around she crept out. Moving to the door that led to the dining hall she stopped and listened. Hearing Finnick's voice talking about training or something Luctra smiled. Turning around she spotted the door labeled 'Mentor'. Walking up to the door she silently prayed it wasn't locked.  _'YES!'_  She thought as the handle clicked open. The room looked much like hers except there personal touches here and there. Not paying attention to them she marched up to the large chest of drawers.

* * *

"WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?" Screeched Petal as Luctra strolled into the dining car. Luctra thought her reaction was a little over the top, however Finnick's stunned face was well worth it.

"Clothes." Offered Luctra. Finnick it seemed was still in shock as he made no comment.

"But those are…where did you…why?" Finished Petal.

"Yes they are Finnick's, I got them out of his room, and the clothes in mine don't fit." Luctra nonchalantly replied. Petal ran her eyes over Luctra's ensemble. She was wearing a pair of bright red loose training shorts and a purple sweater that hung off her since it was obviously made to be worn over top of many layers. Luctra also had no shoes on.

"You went into my room?" Asked Finnick flatly. He was beginning to realise just how much trouble this girl could turn out to be for him.

"No." Luctra claimed. Finnick raised an eyebrow in question. "I talked the clothes into walking out the door." Luctra stated. Dash who was already seated at the table let out a laugh. Moving to sit at the table Luctra heard Finnick let out a long breath of air, like he was calming himself as he stared at the roof again.

"Ask stupid questions you get stupid answers." Said Luctra making Finnick snap his gaze back to her. Not wanting an argument to start Petal cut in.

"I'm sorry about the wrong size. Most female tributes, are well a little less…" Petal trailed off.

"Yeah I know. Don't worry. I'm an odd shape." Luctra laughed.

"If you were fat it would be easier." Dash joked from beside her. Luctra laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately, shaking his head a bit in the process as payback for the comment.

"You two know each other well?" Finnick asked looking between the two. Close tributes could be a problem.

"Luc's works at the plant with my Dad. And looks after me on 'date night'." Dash answered using air quotations for the last bit.

"The processing plant?" Finnick questioned Luctra leaning forward and putting his elbows on the table as if the answer was very important.

"Yes." Luctra said.

"What area of the plant?" Finnick continued. His uncle had been a plant manager so he was familiar with the different jobs.

"Bunch of different ones." Luctra said as she began spooning food onto her plate. Finnick felt like he was pulling teeth talking to Luctra. Smiling he turned to Dash.

"Where does your Dad work in the plant?" Finnick asked. Luctra looked at Finnick.  _'Well played. Jerk.'_ Luctra thought.

"On the hanging lines." Dash said as he stabbed a rather large piece of chicken from the serving plate and dropped it on his plate. Finnick's eyes snapped to Luctra's. He was obviously surprised.

"Is that true?" He asked.

"Yeah." Luctra confirmed, like it wasn't really a big deal. But to Finnick it was.

"Well that explains the muscles. But you're a little, well, feminine to be honest, for a hang line worker." Finnick said in a slightly confused tone. Like he was trying to figure something out.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Luctra admitted.

"Well, from what I remember the women who work the hang line are, well…" Finnick stopped seeming to be picking his words carefully. "…it's hard to tell them apart from the men." He finished. While Luctra was obviously a strong and built girl, her feminine walk and face gave her away, and the fact that she had an ample chest. But her figure was hidden by the baggy clothes she wore. Finnick was trying to figure out how they should present her.

"I know what you mean." Luctra acknowledge. Most female line workers, like Srita tended to be highly masculine in form and personality since well, it was a gross and laborious job. "I have the strength to do it and it pays well."

"Well, we're going to have to make you an obvious female." Finnick warned. "The sponsors won't be as willing to take to a butch female tribute."

"What will they take too?" Luctra sighed internally flinching at the word butch. She knew they would need sponsors for the games and being rude to Finnick, at least on this, was uncalled for.

"Give me a bit to think. What should your angle be…" Finnick puzzled. Luctra shrugged her shoulders and dug into the food. Petal chatted away about how fantastic the Capitol was and the wonderful things they would see. After dinner the four of them sat down to watch the rest of the Reapings.

Watching the screen Luctra saw that Caesar had chosen blue as his colour this year. Maybe secretly rooting for District 4? Luctra could only wish. The screen flashed to District 1. The tributes were Careers, but nothing overly special. Then District 2 came on. First was the girl Clove. If the term sadistic bitch ever applied to someone it was her. The look in her eyes said 'Kill'.

"She's looks scary." Dash quipped.

"The Career Tributes from District 2 normally do." Finnick said.

The male tribute caused Luctra's heart to hit the floor and her throat to close up. Stepping forward to volunteer was a boy just as good looking as Finnick was, without the maturity that comes with age. But what made her heart drop was the sheer size of him. He was huge. Like a titan.  _'How can I go up against that?'_  She thought. He looked so confident and sure of himself. She was going to have to avoid him like the plague. He was the type she was attracted too and that scared her, and this one could throw her off kilter during the games. Finnick's low whistle snapped her out of her thoughts.

"He's huge!" Dash exclaimed. Finnick didn't respond to Dash's outburst. Luctra knew it was because Finnick just saw their chance of winning go out the window. And she couldn't blame him.

"Hopefully there will be another tribute that can challenge him." Luctra said. "If he gets injured fighting someone else he will be weakened. Maybe die of infection."

Dash nodded vigorously. Finnick sent her a sarcastic smile. They both knew that District 2 had a lot of very rich sponsors normally, so a medical death was highly unlikely. Luctra refused to voice this out loud. Dash needed all the hope and least amount of fear possible going into the arena. The District 4 Reaping came on the screen. Luctra had to admit, she looked like a moron.

"Ok so the fierce warrior angle is out." Finnick teased. Luctra growled at him. On the screen she saw her face zoomed in on. She looked like she was mentally retarded. Her eyes were blank, she was being pulled along but not because she was fighting and the clothes she was wearing made her look like a blob that didn't know how to dress herself.

"I knew that was a bad outfit." She sneered at the screen.

"No shit." Finnick added. Unfortunately that wasn't the worst part in her mind. As they called out Dash's name the camera, which was normally focused on the volunteer pool, was focused right on her zoned out face. As soon as they called Dash's name she watched her face snap back to reality looking completely shocked. From there her face transformed into what she could only deem as disbelief and fear.

"You've never played cards have you?" Finnick chuckled. Luctra found the situation far from funny. She got up from her seat and started to stomp around the car in circles.

"WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? NOW ALL OF PANEM THINKS I'M WEAK AND AFRAID!" She hollered.

"It's not that bad. Sit down and watch the rest of the Reapings." Finnick commanded. Pissed off, Luctra flipped him off and sat down with a huff. Thankfully there was some good news, the boy from District 11 was also huge. Meaning he could take on District 2 like Luctra had thought of. However it was the Reaping of the girl from District 12 that caught her attention. Self-sacrificing. Now where had Luctra heard of that before?

"This could work for us." Finnick said as he rubbed his clean shaven chin after the Reapings Recap was over.

"How is that?" Luctra asked harshly. She was still mad about the card comment. Finnick looked at her then to Dash.

"We'll talk about it later." He concluded. With the Reapings over there wasn't anything else really to do except try to get some sleep. Getting to her door Luctra stopped when she heard her name being called. Turning around she saw Finnick at the compartment door with an expectant look on his face.

"What?" Luctra asked.

"My clothes if you please." Finnick demanded with a smirk on his face. Luctra glared at him. Lifting the sweater over her head she took it off and threw it at his face. Catching it in mid-air Finnick smiled bigger. He took in her figure quickly. It was completely feminine. While she may be bigger than most girls she was by far more womanly then they were. The muscles could be played down a bit with the right accessories and costume. Now he had to just figure out what angle would be to their best advantage to use.

"You're an ass." Luctra hissed. She turned to go into her room when she heard Finnick call her name again.

"WHAT?" She shouted.

"You forgot the shorts." Finnick beamed arrogantly. He wasn't expecting the deadly smile on her face.

"I'm not wearing underwear." She tossed back as she turned into her room and slammed the door. It wasn't a sexual comment. She was actually trying to gross him out. Outside in the hallway Finnick smiled to himself. Oh yes, with her temper and sass he had just figured out the perfect angle for both her and Dash.

* * *

AN: YAY! Chapter two. Now do not fret there is NOTHING going on between Finnick and Luctra. She doesn't like him because she is afraid of men she is attracted to, which you will find out why later. Also Finnick is Finnick. A flirt and he is trying to figure out Luctra the best way he knows how. By getting a girl off balance.

Please answer the questions from the end of chapter one to help me with chapter three. All reviews welcome! Critique is appreciated as long as it is constructive.

Rayn


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: Enjoy! And please send me feedback, especially about the questions I asked.

Chapter Three:

A Whale of a Jerk

If there was one thing that Luctra was not it was a morning person. Unfortunately Finnick didn't heed to Dash's warnings about waking up Luctra before she got up on her own. First, finding the door locked he had to go get the key to Luctra's room from Petal. Escorts were given the keys to the locks to prevent tributes from finding permanent ways to avoid having to compete. He didn't think this was the case with Luctra, but he needed to get her up so she could get ready to enter the Capitol. Unlocking the door and walking into the dark room Finnick saw that Luctra was still sound asleep in bed.

"Luctra wake up." Finnick called out. No response. "Luctra get your ass out of bed." No response. "Fine we'll do this the hard way." Walking up to the bed Finnick yanked off the blanket. No response. "Oh for fuck's sake if your this bloody unaware you'll be dead on the first day." He cried out. Not happy about lack of response Finnick marched to the side of the bed and grabbed onto Luctra's shoulder to shake her awake. Maybe he grabbed a little too hard because the next thing he knew he was being flipped on the bed on his back and a pillow was over his face smothering him. Starting to fight back he felt Luctra pounce on top of him and start punching the pillow, which he was slightly thankful for now.

"What- **punch** -is- **punch** -your- **punch** -problem- **punch** -I- **punch** -was- **punch** -sleeping!" Luctra shouted down at Finnick who was pinned under her between punches. Luctra continued punching and yelling not caring if Finnick couldn't hear her through the pillow. Having had enough of being wailed on by an irate female first thing in the morning Finnick violently forced them to roll over, throwing Luctra off him and off the bed completely. Hearing the thump and following "OW" Finnick rolled to the other side of the bed and quickly stood up.

"WHAT THE HELL FINNICK?" Luctra yelled standing up and rubbing her butt where he guessed she landed when she hit the floor. Finnick took a second before answering. Apparently Luctra didn't sleep in much because she was standing before him in nothing but a white sports bra that was a little too small and white underwear that were also a little too tight. He was right about her femininity. She was all woman. His angle just got a serious boost in the right direction.

"You wouldn't get up and were almost at the Capitol." Finnick related before turning and leaving the room. He could hear her cussing him out even after he walked into the dining car. He laughed, he was glad to he didn't listen to Dash. He now knew how physically strong Luctra was, though it wouldn't help unless she fell asleep everywhere and then other tributes tried to shake her awake instead of stabbing her. Finnick laughed to himself.

* * *

Back in her room Luctra was fuming and trashing the room to blow off some of her anger. While she might makes friends with almost everyone she meets, good looking men just pissed her off. And her mentor seemed to be exceptionally good at it. When he looked at her this morning he looked as if she had just told him she could make people blow up with her mind. Like he had just discovered the secret to her winning the Hunger Games.  _'He's an idiot.'_ She decided. A few minutes later there was a knock at her door.

"What?" Boomed Luctra.

"It's Petal. I have your outfit." Petal squeaked from the other side of the door. She must have heard her cussing and realized that Luctra had a temper. Walking to the door Luctra swung it open quickly startling Petal.

"Sorry Petal. Finnick pissed me off." Luctra apologized. This surprised Petal who was now even more confused about the girl before her. Was she a rude brute or just afraid of what lay ahead? Petal couldn't decide at the moment. Petal followed Luctra into her room. In Petal's hands she a garment bag with a '4' painted on it.

"Is that for me?" Luctra asked calmly as she sat on the bed gently, facing Petal.

"Yes it is." Petal smiled holding up the outfit for Luctra to see. It wasn't anything special really by Capitol standards. A pair of black capris pants with a shiny blue strip down the side and a black trench coat. The trench coat had the same blue strips as the pants running up the arms, down the sides and in a cross pattern along the back. It flared out at the hips stopping just above her thighs. On the bottom of the skirt of the trench coat was a thin blue band the same color as the other bands.

"We had to expand it a little with the blue but I think it looks pretty sharp." Petal assured. Luctra smiled softly at Petal.

"Thank you. I've probably thrown off all your stylists." Luctra said with a small laugh.

"Not at all dear." Petal insisted. "Your just more of a woman then one would expect at…oh my I forgot to ask how old you are?"

"I'm 17." Said Luctra.  _'Just young enough to end up here.'_  She thought bitterly

"Well you have curves to die for and I am sure your stylists are going to love working with you!" Petal exclaimed as she began taking the clothes out of the bag and off the hanger.

"That's kind of you Petal, but I know what I look like." Said Luctra sadly. Petal stopped and looked at the girl sitting on the bed who was now staring out the train window. Luctra looked so young and vulnerable in that moment.  _'Walls of steal protecting a heart of gold'_  Petal concluded. The reaction at the Reaping made sense to Petal now. Luctra was a protector and Dash was cleraly important to Luctra from the interactions between them she had seen. Petal was determined to make the girl smile from now until the Games, as she now understood why Luctra had the temper and attitude she did when it came to anything to do with the Hunger Games.

"I hope you do otherwise you'll think someone is stalking you every time you pass a mirror." Petal jested. Luctra let out a deep laugh and looked back to Petal. Luctra slapped the tops of her thighs and stood up.

"So what shoes am I wearing?" She asked. Petal chewed her bottom lip a little.

"We weren't sure if you could walk in heels." Petal confessed awkwardly.

"No worries Petal I can walk in heels." Assured Luctra.

"Wonderful then we have the most wonderful boots for you to wear." She gushed putting the clothes on the bed and headed out of the room. She returned a minute later with a gorgeous pair of blue boots. They were the same material as the additions to the jacket and pants. They would reach to just under the capris' with black lace ups in the front. If Luctra had to guess the whole outfit would make her look fierce.

"Well let's get to it then." Announced Luctra.

* * *

The train would be arriving in the Capitol in less than 5 minutes and Luctra was getting nervous. She thought she looked alright but she had no idea what the Capitol would think. Finnick had told her that they would be bombarded by people at the station wanting to get a look at them.

"I want you to keep a protective eye over Dash when we get off the train. Go out of your way to make it obvious you are taking care of him." Reiterated Finnick.

"I get it." Snapped Luctra. "Though I have no idea how that is going to help my situation!"

"Trust me." Finnick asked her. The look in his eye was one of pleading. Like her very life was depending on trusting him, which it literally did. So Luctra sucked up her fears and prejudice against attractive men for now.

"Alright I trust you." She told him honestly. Finnick let out the breath he'd been holding. "But I still don't like you." She added. Finnick smirked.

"I can live with that." He chided. The view outside the window began to slow down. It was show time. Finnick signaled Luctra to follow him, and she quietly did so. They joined Petal and Dash in the exit car. As she had discussed with Finnick Luctra took her place behind Dash and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and smiled. He was wearing an outfit much like hers, except it was masculine. (AN: Think a Chinese madarin style outfit with the satin jacket and pants.) His pants were black with a shiny blue strip up the sides and the jacket had blue cuffs and blue piping and closures on it. His jet black hair was spiked wildly make him look fiercer then he was. According to Finnick in matching her Dash would look fierce by proxy. She prayed Finnick was right.

As they pulled up to the station Luctra could hear the cheering. It made her gut tighten. Getting to the Capitol was another step in making the whole situation real. Steadying her breathing Luctra put on her 'protector face' as Finnick called it. Basically it was serious and stern unless Dash smiled at her. If that happened she was to soften the look slightly.

"Here we go." Declared Finnick. And then chaos ensued. The doors to the car slid open and the public got their first personal view of the tributes from District 4. Petal walked out first announcing that District 4 had arrived. Dash began to move forward smiling followed by Luctra who kept a firm hand on his shoulder. She kept her spin ridged and her shoulders back. But she swung her hips while she walked. It was hard to manage to swing her hips and remain ridged. She focused on remembering what this would mean for Dash while hundreds of camera flashes were going off around them. Dash waved at the crowd and winked flirtatiously, something Finnick must have taught him.  _'So he's going to play the little heartbreak angle.'_  Realized Luctra that it might just be the best thing for Dash to do to get sponsors.

She looked down when she felt a hand on top of hers. Keeping a stern look on her face she looked down to Dash, making sure as their eyes connected she softened her face enough that people could see a difference. Dash looked back at her and nodded his head sideways. Looking in that direction Luctra saw a woman holding out blue and green flowers. Understanding his intention Luctra nodded to Dash. Smiling he took off in the woman's direction and Luctra made sure her hand slid off his shoulder instead of removing it, making it look as though she was reluctant to let him go.

Dash ran up to the woman who gushed over how adorable he was as she handed him the flowers. Smiling cheekily Dash crooked his finger at the woman, who due to her giant heels was way taller than him; Dash was asking her to bend down to his level. Smiling so big Luctra thought the woman's face would crack the woman eagerly bent down to Dash's level.

"Thank you. Beautiful flowers from a beautiful woman." He beamed and then kissed the woman on the cheek. The crowd and press ate it up like it was their last meal. Gushing and awing the crowd sent their wish of favour to Dash. The woman was beaming so much that Luctra thought she would faint.  _'Definitely learning from Finnick'_ Luctra concluded. Blowing the rest of the crowd a kiss Dash ran back to Luctra who had remained in the same spot. Keeping a watchful gaze on Dash like she was ready to pounce if the crowd made a wrong move towards him.

Once back in front of Luctra Dash pulled out a single blue flower from the bouquet and offered it up to Luctra. Cracking the sides of her mouth ever so slightly upwards Luctra accepted the flower and kissed Dash on the head. The crowd went wild. Dash turned forward, Luctra placed her hand on his shoulder and they walked together through the sea of media until they got to their transport. Inside Petal was waiting for the three of them. Once inside and they had pulled away from the media frenzy everyone visibly relaxed.

"That went spectacular." Marveled Petal.

"Do you really think so?" Worried Luctra. First impressions were everything in the Hunger Games and her Reaping footage had probably done some damage.

"Absolutely." Agreed Finnick. "This is an angle that has never been done before. It's new and unpredictable. That's exactly what will snare the Capitol's attention."

"I hope your right." Whispered Luctra. Finnick patted her hand knowing that Luctra was more worried about Dash then herself. The girl beside him wasn't ready to accept just what being in the Hunger Games meant.

* * *

Upon arrival Luctra and Dash were separated and whisked off to the Remake areas, boys and girls being separate of course. Pushed into a small stall Luctra was told to strip down and put on the robe hanging in the room. She did so and thankfully the robe closed properly. Coming out of the stall she was ushered in to a curtained room and placed on table where the torture began. Three women with green hair wearing technician coats waxed, plucked, scrubbed, brushed, polished and trimmed every part of her body. By the end of it she felt raw and uncomfortable. This was when her stylist walked in.

"Hello. I'm Gem. I'm going to be styling you for the Hunger Games." He greeted her. The man was in his late 20's with gold hair and silver eyeliner. He had too many hoops in his ears to count and the tight black clothing he wore only made him look like lamp post. Dark on the bottom and ridiculously bright on top.

"Uhh nice to meet you." Said Luctra. She was still lying on the table and not sure if she was allowed to move yet. Gem began a slow scan of Luctra's body obviously taking mental notes and observations of good and bad parts. She had never felt more naked in her life.

"Well it's a good structure to work with, solid so it can handle more." Relayed Gem to the three green headed techies.

"Handle more?" Questioned Luctra raising one of her raw eyebrows. More never translated into good when it came to parade costumes.

"Don't worry you're going to shock all of Panem." Promised Gem. Luctra was not sure she liked the sound of that.

* * *

"I fucking hate you Finnick." Swore Luctra as he approached her. She was standing in the prep room in a FREAKING FISH COSTUME!

"Old news." Drawled Finnick smiling. "It's going to be a show stopper and this is only a small part of it so relax a bit!"

"I. Am. In. A. Fish. Costume." Sputtered Luctra punching out every word.

"Yes, but you make a cute fish if that helps." Patronized Finnick. Luctra tried to slap him with one of her fins. Yes that's right her arms were FINS! Finnick moved out of the way with ease.

"How am I going to hold the Trident with this?" She demanded holding up her fin to him. Finnick was trying really hard not to laugh.

"Your other hand will be free. Come on it's only for a few seconds." He reminded her.

"SO WHAT?" She bellowed. "I still have to walk to the chariot launch bay and then get into the chariot in front of all the other tributes in…..THIS." She cried using her fin to point to the costume on her body. That's right it was a full body costume, like a mascot would wear at the Sea Fair. Finnick let out a small chuckle. She did look ridiculous but it was part of the plan.

"Deal with it." Finnick stated. Luctra huffed and growled a few times, but in the end she knew she had no choice.

"This had better work." She threatened him pointing her fin at him.

"It will. Just remember as soon as you are through the tunnel lift the trident up high. You will feel it charging. When it really starts to vibrate slam it into the floor of the chariot." He repeated his early instruction again.

"And you're sure we won't explode?" She shot back.

"90% sure. If you do, well hey at least you go out with a bang." He retorted sarcastically. Luctra's face deadpanned.

"I still hate you." Said Luctra.

"Get a new line." Finnick taunted. Luctra was about to reply when Petal came in telling them it was time to get to the chariot bay.

* * *

Just as Luctra had predicted her entrance to the chariot launch bay was met with pointing and laughing. There had been stupid costumes in the past but nothing compared to what she was wearing right now. Spotting Dash, also dressed in a fish costume, Luctra headed towards him. Unfortunately this meant she had to walk past the area where the Careers from District 1 and 2 had congregated together.

"Oh my god she's a whale!" She heard the girl from 1 snicker.

"Not surprising. You saw her at the Reaping." Her partner said holding out his coat to make himself look bigger while he puffed out his cheeks. Luctra ground her teeth but kept on moving not even looking at the ones from District 2, but she heard them laughing along.  _'The kid is in PINK feathers and Rhinestones and he's making fun of me.'_  Luctra thought. Making it to their chariot Luctra smiled at Dash.

"We look like idiots." He proclaimed.

"Yup. But at least we're going out there together as idiots." She teased patting him with her fin.

"TRIBUTES TO YOUR CHARIOTS!" A voice ordered from above. Together Dash and Luctra climbed into their chariot making sure that there was enough room between them for when Luctra had to slam down the trident. Placing the end of the trident on the floor she began to feel it pulse. It had turned on just like Gem said it would. The chariots began to move forward. As soon as they hit the crest of the opening Luctra lifted the trident into the air and felt it start to grow in vibration. It started to vibrate hard and just as the announcer was calling out 'District 4' Luctra slammed the tips of the trident into the floor between her and Dash.

A huge explosion of light surrounded the chariot making it seem as if it had been struck by lightning. It was only a split second but many things happened in that time. One the chariot was transformed into a clear vehicle making it seem as if they were riding on water. Second the fish costumes on both Luctra and Dash disintegrated. What the two of them were left in sent the crowd into a frenzy. Dash was now standing at her side in a light blue toga adorned with dark blue trim. On his head resting on top of his wildly spiked black hair was a cornet of seashells and pearls. On his arms he was wearing forearm protectors of sliver with the same pearls and seashells embedded in them as his cornet. Around Dash's temples and eyes was light blue and silver make-up making him look as though he had been kissed by the sea. In his hand he held a conch that he blew into like a trumpet announcing their approach, like royalty. The conch had been hidden inside his fin.

However it was Luctra's outfit that had the crowd gasping and falling over themselves. Under the fish costume Luctra was wearing a very different outfit. Her breasts were covered by triangle shaped material, which was really nothing more than a fancy bra in her opinion. It was light blue material that shimmered like the sun hitting the top of the water. It had braided straps of light and dark blue material that crossed behind her neck. The straps braided together behind her neck and traveled down her back to connect to the under strap of her top. Her entire mid drift was bare; having been dusted with blue and silver shimmer to making it seem as though she had just surfaced out of the sea. Her skirt had a slit up one leg to her mid-thigh and was a combination of shreds of material from the two fabrics that made up her top. On each bicep she had an arm band of pearls and shells, matching the pattern that was on Dash's forearm protectors. Her hair flew wildly behind her in thick waves woven with diamonds and crystals making it look like she had water drops trapped in her hair. The stones dazzled as the light struck the stones randomly while the chariot moved down the alley. Finally her make-up consisted of heavy black liner to make her eyes look bigger with different shades of blue and silver around her eyes matched the ones on Dash. Her lips were painted to look wet and plump.

Raising the trident to the crowd Luctra caught a glimpse of herself on one of the giant screens. She looked ethereal. Like a Goddess that had risen from the sea. This is exactly what they were going for. They were Amphitrite and Triton. Mother and son of the sea. That was their angle, the one no one had tried before. The surrogate mother figure and her darling son.  _'It's working!'_ She cheered mentally. They had the crowd swooning over them.

Knowing that the richest sponsors were located right next to the chariot grounds at the front of the stadium Luctra had one more trick prepared. As they entered the grounds they would come up the middle aisle and then cut in front of the Districts that had pulled up to the left. They would travel in front and then around behind the already parked tributes before parking themselves in their spot beside District 2. As the chariot crossed into the grounds from the alley Luctra began to rotate her trident around her hand. (AN: Think baton twirling.) As they reached the area right in front of the President's podium Luctra pumped the trident straight into the air sending out a bolt of lightning that rained down as blue and silver glitter over them like a waterfall. The crowd at the front stood up and cheered wildly.

Once they had parked Luctra allowed herself to glance at the other parked tributes. Next to her was District 2. They didn't look too bad, sort of gladiators, she wasn't sure how that was masonry but who was she to judge. She looked up and caught the eyes of the boy she wanted to see the least. He was huge and menacing. A perfect Career. He was staring right through her but his emotions were veiled. She had no idea was he was thinking, but she was distracted before she could figure it out. From the other side of the grounds she caught a glimpse of pink feathers and rhinestones. Shifting her eyes she saw it was the District 1 girl and she did not look happy. She was glaring at Luctra, hard. So Luctra put on a dark smirk and raised her eyebrow in silent challenge.

Hearing the crowd go wild again, like they had for her, Luctra twisted around to see what was happening.  _'Holy CRAP!'_ She was stunned. District 12 was on fire. LITERALLY. If her entrance had been great theirs was bloody incredible! If she weren't in the grounds with them she would be cheering them on loudly at home. The Games were going to be different this time around, Luctra could just feel it.

After the speeches and best of luck garbage the chariots returned to the launch bay in District order. Luctra hopped off the chariot quickly now that she wasn't wearing the stupid fish costume. Holding her trident in one had she stood and waited for them all to be dismissed for the night. The Careers were gathered by the wall again, though they were not snickering at her this time. Instead they were in a heated discussion sending occasional looks her way.

"Fuck that. I'll carve the kid in front of her before I let that shit happen." The District 1 girl stormed, obviously meaning for Luctra to hear it. Luctra wasn't going to react until she saw Dash go white.  _'Crap'_  Without thinking about the consequences Luctra raised the trident and threw it straight towards the Careers. Now her aim wasn't the best so it was wider then she would have liked embedding itself in the wall between where the Careers were standing and a door. But it did the job. All the Careers turned to her, stunned. The mouthy girl looked between the trident in the wall and Luctra and back again. Luctra was seeing so much red that she didn't see the smirk that the boy from District 2 was giving her, or the fact the whole launch bay had been stunned into silence.

In a flash Luctra had two Peacekeepers beside her and they did not look happy. "Tribute Luctra you are in violation of Hunger Games policy. Follow us." They ordered her. One Peacekeeper in front of her and one behind her they escorted her towards the door that was beside where she had embedded her trident. As they approached the door the Careers hadn't moved from their spot. As she walked to the door Luctra never broke eye contact with the District 1 girl. At the opening of the now open door Luctra stopped. Luctra shot out her hand and jerked the trident out of the wall. Satisfied when she saw the girl's throat quiver Luctra walked through the door.

' _Finnick is going to be SOOOOOO PISSED.'_  She realized as she walked down the hallway with the Peacekeepers.

* * *

AN: Oh I am having so much fun with this story and can't wait to get to the nitty gritty.

Thanks and can't wait for reviews!

Rayn


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: Enjoy! And please send me feedback, especially about the questions I asked. Thanks to my fantastic reviewer. You are awesome and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Four:

Avoiding rash decisions

She had been sitting in the room for what felt like hours, even though it had probably only been one at the most since she had been transported there from the arena. The room wasn't overly large, with white walls and floor to ceiling window in front of her. Between her and the window as large desk with a plush chair. On the desk lay her trident which the Peacekeepers had taken from her the moment she pulled it out of the wall. She shifted in her seat, once again thankful she wasn't in the fish costume. She wouldn't have fit in the chair if she was still wearing it. Sighing she looked at the trident on the desk. Maybe she could electrocute herself? Nah it had lost all its charge already. She heard footsteps and voices coming to the door behind her.

"You understand the issue then?" A new voice said as the door opened. In walked a person she didn't know and of course, Finnick. The person moved to sit at the desk while she felt Finnick come up behind her placing a hand lightly on her bare shoulder.

"Yes, but she didn't break any rules so I don't see that it's a big issue." Argued Finnick. Wait she didn't break a rule? Luctra was confused. She threw a weapon at another tribute, well group of tributes, in anger outside of the training center.

"While you are right I need a promise that she will be controlled until she enters the arena." Insisted the man. She felt Finnick squeeze her shoulder hard. Luctra didn't like his hands on her bare skin.

"She will be." Finnick vowed digging into her shoulder a little harder to translate the point to Luctra. The man at the desk hadn't even looked at her once during the whole conversation and then she was dismissed with Finnick. Rising she prepared herself for the ripping of her life. As they walked down the hall Finnick smiled and said hello to people that passed, continuing to be his charming self. Getting to the tribute living quarters elevator he hits the button and waits. She figures he'll probably wait till the elevator door closes. Once inside she found out she was right. The car had barely started to move before he punched the emergency stop button and leaned against the side wall looking at her.

"Would you like to tell me exactly what happened?" He asked calmly. Too calmly. Turning to face him Luctra physically deflated, looking someone had stuck a pin in her. She'd been tense since she got through the door past the Careers with the Peacekeepers.

"I was waiting by the chariot when I overheard the bitch from District 1 talking about gutting Dash." She continued. "I wasn't going to respond." She offered lamely.

"And what changed?" He asked flatly. At least he was giving her a chance to explain.

"Dash. I saw that he had gone completely pale and was looking terrified. I knew he had heard her and well, I just kinda had to do something so Dash would see she was afraid me, and thus not to be taken seriously." She shrugged her shoulders. "The trident was leaving my hand before I knew it."

"Alright that makes things a little better." Finnick said relaxing.

"How does that make things better? And why am I not in trouble?" Demanded Luctra. Finnick looked at her and smiled softly, like he was dealing with a small child who was totally missing something obvious.

"I can use the incident to farther prove the angle, especially when you're in the arena and the game is moving slow." He said. "And the reason that you're not in more trouble is because you have shitty aim."

"Excuse me?" Luctra snapped. Finnick rolled his eyes at her.

"Hunger Games policy states that an attempt on another Tributes life is categorized as any deadly weapon being used in an attack within 3 feet of the Tribute while not in the training center." He informed her. Now Luctra understood.

"How far away was the trident?" She asked. Reflating a little bit now that she knew she wasn't going to be punished by the Capitol.

"3.2 feet." He chuckled. She had cut it really close. Finnick released the emergency stop and they reached their floor. It's nice, decorated in the modern style of the Capitol with random District 4 influences, like the giant pool sized floor to ceiling fish tank in the middle of the room. Dash must have heard the elevator ding because he came running from somewhere right towards Luctra wrapping his arms around her waist. He's about a foot shorter than her so his head only came up to just below her breasts.

"That was so cool!" He blurts out his eyes shining with wonder. It seems that he plan had worked; he wasn't nervous or scared right now.

"Which part?" She teased him. Dashed looked up at her with a huge smile on his face.

"When you threw the trident at the Careers!" He exclaimed. "I swear the girl was going to pee herself!" He rambled on. "The boy thought it was hilarious and his partner was yelling at the girl to stop being an idiot."  _'Wait. That doesn't make sense.'_ Luctra thought.

"Wait who was yelling at who?" She asked. Dash let out an exacerbated sigh, like it was taxing on him personally that she didn't follow along.

"The girl from 2 was yelling at the girl from 1." He clarified. Ok. Wait that means that the boy from District 2 was laughing at the girl from District 1. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Finnick paused in thought at that. Before she could ask Finnick what he was thinking Petal walked in the room with Gem, and a woman who Luctra could only assume was Dash's stylist. The woman was dressed identically to Gem.

"Is everything alright?" Petal said. She looked genuinely concerned that something was going to happen to Luctra.

"Yes. By a nose." Finnick answered. Petal looked relieved at the news. She ushered Luctra in and to the table. Apparently Luctra had made it back just in time for dinner. At the table conversation was light hearted, talking about the parade, the District 4 entrance vs. District 12, who the crowd seemed to like and of course, gushing about their entrance.

"It was amazing!" Petal said airily.

"It was pretty amazing Gem, though I still hate the fish costume." Luctra teased mock glaring at him.

"But you looked so cute in it!" He taunted her like Finnick had done. Luctra viciously stabbed a piece of steak instead of responding and stuffed it into her mouth, muttering to herself about feeding people to the fish in the tank.

"Oh it's almost time for Caesar's recap!" Shouted Petal clapping her hands once. Luctra didn't get it. You get reaped, then you watch it, you parade, then you watch it, you do interviews, then you watch them, hell even the victor had to re-watch the games in the end! Shaking her head she moved with the others into the screening area. Though she was still in her parade outfit she wasn't uncomfortable sitting on the loveseat with Dash at her side. The screen flicked on and there was Caesar and Claudius.

**"What a beginning, what a BEGINNING!" Cried Caesar happily to the camera.**

**"This has to be the most exciting parade to date Caesar." Claudius affirmed.**

**"I have to agree. The stylists have seriously outdone themselves this year." Caesar continued. "Now, I think you would agree Claudius, that there were two Districts in particular that lit up the stadium this year."**

**"Yes there was! Now which one was your favourite Caesar?" Claudius asked, as if it were the most difficult question in the world.**

**"That's not a fair question Claudius! I can say this though." He stopped and stared straight into the camera, smiling like he was going to let the world in on a very big secret. "The ladies were absolutely CAPTIVATING!" Luctra blushed slightly not used to compliments of this nature.**

**"Absolutely! I have to admit though, when the tributes from District 4 first came out of the tunnel I had to question the sanity of their stylist." Claudius piped in.**

Luctra sent Gem her best, I-told-you-so look. He just grinned back.

**"Complete genius though! When she slammed her trident into the floor and the lighting went off I thought they had been blown up." Caesar burst out waving his arm in emphasis.**

**"Well they did blow up the crowd's expectations that's for sure with their transformations!" Claudius added.**

**"Now let's take a closer look at the transformations." Caesar said. "Saving the best for last of course." He added as Dash's picture from the parade appeared on the screen behind Caesar and Claudius.**

He really did look great. The outfit made him look like a soldier almost, like an Achilles of sort.

**"Now here we have Tribute Dash. Looking marvelous in the toga and cornet of the sea, with archer guards (AN: his forearm guards) of a champion on his arms." Claudius gushed. "Absolutely marvelous! A true victor in the making."**

**"Yes. Now from what I understand he is embodying the sea god Triton." Caesar added looking at Claudius.**

**"Well the way he is blowing that conch it says to me 'Make way for District 4 we are powerful and here to WIN!'" Claudius declared.**

**"I would have to agree. They rode in on a wave of water and rode out on the wave of the crowd." Agreed Caesar. "This young man, as we saw from their arrival is a true heartbreaker in the making. Ladies of the Capitol just may have another Finnick Odair to love in the near future!"**

The two announcers laughed together. Well comparing Dash to Finnick was not a bad thing at all. Luctra knew that this comment would catch the attention of some of the Capitol girls around Dash's age, who then could force their parents to sponsor him.

**"Now the most shocking transformation so far!" Caesar declared as the image behind them switched from Dash to Luctra.**

It was the only time, other than on the screen in the stadium that she got to see what she looked like.

"Petal." Luctra called never looking away from the screen.

"Yes dear?" She answered.

Luctra cracked a smile. "I think I have a stalker." Petal laughed while the others in the room looked confused. Luctra took in her appearance on the screen. She really did look like a Goddess. Her stance and trident made her look powerful, a force of nature. But at the same time the lack of clothing showed of her feminine curves and plush but firm body. She looked exactly as Finnick said she would. The strong, seductive, alpha mother.

**"Now Claudius I did not expect this at all from Tribute Luctra." Confessed Caesar making it seem he was ashamed of underestimating her.**

Luctra was impressed by the different emotions Caesar could pull off on command.

**"Nor I Caesar. Who knew that under those awful baggy clothes there was this." Claudius claimed motioning behind him as the picture of her from her reaping was placed side by side on the screen with the one from the parade.**

**"I don't think anyone knew!" Claudius said.**

**"It was magnificent to watch. Now from what I understand she was embodying the Sea Goddess Amphitrite." Caesar explained to the viewers.**

"Finnick did you give them a bullet point sheet explaining our angle?" Luctra gibed.

"No." He said. Luctra raised an eyebrow clearly not believing him. "A interactive hologram map." He smirked at Luctra's shocked face. She didn't know if he was serious or not. She looked back at the screen.

**"Amphitrite and Triton. Rulers of the Sea. Well we'll have to see just how deadly a storm these two can whip up in the arena!" Caesar announced.**

**"Well if she can conjure more lighting in the arena she will be absolutely deadly!" Claudius proclaimed as the screen behind them rolled the clip of Luctra creating lighting in the chariot grounds.**

**"I think some of our male tributes are already finding her transformation deadly." Caesar suggested.**

**"Whatever do you mean Caesar?" Claudius said with over the top intrigue in his voice.**

_'Yes Caesar what the HELL DO YOU MEAN?'_ Screamed Luctra in her head.

**"Well it seems that we're not the only ones that appreciated the results of Tribute Luctra's transformation." Caesar proclaimed waggling his eyebrows at the camera.**

**The screen began to show clips from the parade that Luctra wouldn't have been able to see herself. First it was the boy from District 9's face as the lighting went off and as he then looked at the screen. His face was shocked and the camera zoomed in as he swallowed slightly while never taking his eyes of the screen that Luctra's image was projected onto. Second it clipped to when they entered the chariot grounds and Luctra rode by, then cut over to the boy from District 2. It caught him raising an eyebrow in acknowledgment followed by a shift in his eyes. The only way to describe it was hunger. Next it clipped to when they were leaving to go back down the alley and the boy from 11 never took his eyes off her as she went by until he could no longer see her.**

"Selective editing." Scoffed Luctra. She knew the boys weren't actually looking at her when the clips were recorded. Sensing no good coming out of correcting her Finnick let it go. It was better to let her think they had no interest in her. She wouldn't know how to manipulate it.

**"It just gets better and better!" Caesar roared in excitement.**

**"Well after the District 4 entrance I didn't think it could get any better. But I was wrong!" Claudius said.**

"Yes District 12…." Caesar started but Luctra had had enough. Getting up quickly from her chair she tuned out everything and began to pace. She was fuming and uncomfortable with what the Capitol was insinuating. She needed a release or an escape. The latter seeming more likely at this time of night.

"I'm going to the roof." She announced not waiting for an answer from anyone. Getting in the elevator she punched the button for the roof hard. The matriarch role she could live with, but she could not accept the idea of being the lusted after female. They had District 1 for that. Getting to the roof Luctra walked up to one of the pillars connected to the thick concrete half wall. Jumping up she took a seat on the half wall leaning back against the pillar. She knew there was a force field to prevent jumping but at least it didn't stop a cool breeze.

"Got no other clothes 4?" A snide voice called from off to the side. Startled Luctra looked to see who was talking to her. It was the girl from District 2.

"Piss off short stack." Luctra snarled. Earning her a glare from the other girl.

"You know before that stunt in the parade most people thought you were half man." She smiled.

"And they still know you're only half a person." Luctra shot back. She swore she heard a laugh from somewhere but figured it was in her head.

"You listen here 4…" She threatened.

"No. You shut up 2." Began Luctra effectively cutting her off. "I don't need some pint size kid mouthing off to me thinking she's the shit. Go try your intimidation on someone your size before I find something else to throw at you." She warned. The girl seemed to weigh something in her head before deciding to speak again.

"I'm Clove." She introduced. Luctra stared blankly at her. What was this girl trying to pull? Or was she seriously not all there.

"You know District 4 is normally part of the Career Alliance." She supplied when Luctra didn't say anything.

"Oh are they now?" Replied Luctra sarcastically. Of course she knew this; she had watched the games before. But she hadn't really thought about aligning herself with them, especially with the boy from District 2. It could be more of a downfall for her and Dash to join them, then to stick on their own together.

"Are you just playing dumb? Or are you actually that dumb?" Clove inquired. It was not as malicious as the clothes comment, but the insult was there.

"Well it's a tossup since I'm sitting here talking with you." Luctra retorted. This time she was sure she heard a laugh. Someone else was on the roof. Luctra tensed then relaxed. It couldn't be Cloves partner since he would have no reason to hide.

"Look seaweed. Are you in or out?" Clove demanded. Not wanting to burn bridges or make a choice that would affect both her and Dash Luctra picked her words carefully. Getting off the ledge Luctra stood tall letting Clove see the physical prowess that she was known for back in District 4. It seemed to work because Clove seemed more eager to hear her answer.

"Undecided. I haven't seen what any of you are capable of." Luctra reasoned. Clove balked at her.

"We're FUCKING CAREERS!" Clove shrieked. Turning and walking towards the exit Luctra threw her response over her shoulder as she kept moving.

"It doesn't mean you won't be dead weight." She pointed out. Maybe this was a way for her to get protection for Dash but she needed to talk with Finnick about it.

* * *

The next morning Luctra woke up and dressed in her supplied training gear. After coming back from the roof and Dash had gone to bed Luctra confided everything that had happened to Finnick. He actually told her that she did the right thing. Considering the bad blood between her and the girl from 1 it could be a trap. Not to mention she was right now the obvious physical front runner out of the female tributes and may have some other options. Next he told her to avoid using hand weapons like knives and swords when she was in group training. Stick to the survival stations and spear/trident throwing since they all knew she could do that. He also told her to feel out the other tributes to see what her other options could be.

"You look scary." Dash voiced as she joined them at the table for breakfast. She was wearing her tribute training clothes, which were tight, but they showcased her figure and muscles. They only made her uncomfortable since she would be compared to the other more feminine girls from other Districts. She had worked out back home in clothes like this before. Though she felt like her boobs had been flattened right into her body. Her hair was up in a high pony tail and she had light make-up on. She told Gem she thought it was stupid, but her reminded her that the Gamemakers would be watching. On her hands she had fingerless leather gloves to protect her from blisters since she would be throwing for at least part of the day.

"Thanks Dash. You look awesome." She beamed back at him. He did look good. Like the adorable heartbreaker with his hair tussled and pearly white teeth. After finishing breakfast they headed to the elevator. When it came it wasn't empty. The tributes from District 11 were in it. The male was big, really big. Stepping in Luctra moved as far away from him as possible as the confines of the elevator would allow. Dash however didn't seem to care about the danger of the big tribute from 11.

"Hi I'm Dash." He said to the little girl sticking out his hand smiling.

"I'm Rue." She smiled back shaking the offered hand. "And this is Thresh." She said pointing to the big guy across from Luctra.

"Oh this is Luctra." Dash pointed out quickly like he had forgotten she was there. The two kids started chatting with each other and Luctra looked up at Thresh. He looked back her and then down to Dash. She looked at him then down to Rue. They nodded at each other silently communicating, understanding each other. Looks like Luctra wasn't the only one planning on protecting someone in the games.

When the elevator door opened Luctra saw that they were the last Districts to arrive. Dash and Rue had stopped talking when the elevator had started to slow down, but they were sticking close to each other. Looking at Rue Luctra felt her core instinct taking over and knew she was fucked. She was going to be protecting Rue in whatever way she could.  _'Wonder if anyone warned Finnick about my need to protect people...'_  she wondered laughing to herself. Standing with the other tributes Luctra listened as the woman went over the rules, though when she mentioned attacking other tributes she pointedly stared at Luctra, as did some of the other tributes. Luctra rolled her eyes then glared at the woman. Luctra actually really wanted to give her the finger but knew she was on thin ice with the Gamemakers already.

That being done the tributes broke apart and headed to various stations. Dash headed to the plant identification with Rue so Luctra thought it would be best to head over to the fire starting station. It was something she actually didn't know how to do. After listening to the instructor on how to start a fire, what would work as kindling and so on Luctra climbed into the bush to practice. As she gathered her kindling she looked around the room spotting the group of Careers talking at the long rang weapons station. By the looks of it Clove was filling them in on what happened last night since she shot her a glare every now and then. Ignoring them and getting back to work Luctra successfully started her fire. Standing up she decided to try the logic station.

She stopped on her way there seeing Clove had moved to the knife throwing station and watched the girl throw. Luctra had to admit, the girl was lethal. Clove turned around after running out of knives and spotted Luctra watching. Clove tilted her and pressed her lips tight saying 'well-what-you-think-now-asshole'. Luctra kept her face blank and just shrugged her shoulders, like she wasn't impressed. She could see Clove start to fume. Walking towards the logic station again Luctra had to pass the long rang weapons station. As she passed someone jumped in front of her blocking her path.

"So I'm Marvel….." Drawled the boy from District 1 who was now in front of her.

"Are you asking me or tell me?" Snorted Luctra. Marvel laughed loudly undeterred by her rudeness. Unknown to her his laugh had caught the attention of two piercing blue eyes.

"You got sass I'll give you that." Quipped Marvel.

"How about giving me some space instead." Luctra bit out. Marvel just laughed again and stepped aside, bowing at the waist arm thrown out in the direction she was headed.

"The wish of the Goddess is my command." Proclaimed Marvel.

"Then DROP DEAD!" She whispered as she passed, earning her another round of laughs from Marvel. The owner of the blues eyes smirked.

* * *

AN: Another chapter down! I know the anticipation is building so much! The first face to face Cato-Luctra interactions are coming in the next chapter do not worry! Thanks for all the support through the viewings! Would love some more feedback though!

Much Luv

Rayn


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN:Time for some Luctra/Cato goodness.

Chapter Five:

Working the Crowd and Miscommunication

' _Fuck the girl's good.'_  Luctra thought walking away from the logic station the next day. The red head from District 5 was smart, really smart. She hoped the arena wasn't some techno zone because if it was, that chick would wipe them all out in only a matter of hours. Luctra decided her brain needed a break so she rotated her shoulders making her way over to the long range weapons station. No one was there at the moment so it seemed a perfect time to go. Looking around she spotted Dash and Rue over at the camouflage station. Only Dash would make friends in a situation like this. Actually if he wasn't here she might do the same, trying to enjoy her last days alive, but she had to focus on keeping Dash alive now. Sighing she walked up to the rack that contained the long range weapons. There were spears, tridents, short bows, long bows and slingshots.

Looking them over Luctra picked up a medium sized trident. She knew that if she tried to throw the large one she might rip her shoulder muscles, and that was a bad idea. Taking her place on the throwing pad she breathed in deep, took three quick steps towards the target and threw the trident at the dummy. It wasn't the best hit, landing in the upper shoulder area of the dummy. It would seriously wound the person, but it wouldn't kill them instantly. She did the same a couple more times, hitting various parts of the dummy each time, but at least she hit it every time, and deeply. Feeling she was done with the trident for now she walked over to the rack again and picked up a spear around the same size as the trident she had been using. Testing the weight of it she signaled the instructor over to help her. A trident was heavy at the end so the technique was slightly different for a throwing a spear.

"Don't put as much power into the upward motion. With a spear it will cause the blade to rise and then the blade will not piece the intended target." He told her. It made sense. But her body didn't seem to think so. The hits were not as deep as with the trident and Luctra wasn't happy about that. Picking up the spear again she launched it at the dummy. It buried itself deep into the right hip of the dummy. Again not a shot that would cause another tribute to die instantly. Standing up straight Luctra stared at the spear. Suddenly she felt something fly right by her ear. A split second later she saw a spear sticking out from her dummy's head. Luctra turned around slowly crossing her arms over her chest.

Just a few feet behind her in post throw extension was the boy from District 2. He had thrown the spear right past her and into the head of the dummy. Her chest filled with air, his aim was beyond lethal. Luctra let out a slow breath as she stared into his deep blue eyes. He slowly rose, standing up and straightening to his full height never breaking eye contact. As far as Luctra was concerned this was a challenge to who would back down first, to see who was weaker. Not looking away had nothing to do with how blue his eyes were or how shallow her breathing had become. He moved towards her slowly, staring her down. Everything about his movements was predatory. She felt her shoulders square as he reached her. He stood so close to her, so close that she could feel his body heat radiating. He was taller than her, by a good 4-5 inches making her head tilt slightly to keep eye contact. His head was tilted down slightly completely focusing his attention on her. They stood toe to toe neither backing down.

She was getting edgy and the urge to head butt him was getting a little too strong. Because her other urge had way worse side affects than what the consequences of head butting him would be. Neither of them moved or looked away, she could taste the physical tension between the two of them. She wasn't sure how long this went on for, but surely somebody had noticed them by now. His gaze blurred out and he moved past her, keeping tight to her but never touching her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of turning around and watching him. She didn't move a muscle as she heard him approach the dummy and pull out both spears.  _'Control your breathing!'_  she chided herself. He walked past her to the weapons rack and put both spears back on the rack.

"CATO!" A girl's voice called. His head snapped up from the rack. He nodded at the person calling him. Cato looked back to Luctra, but disappointingly saw her looking at something else, though she hadn't moved an inch. He followed her view and saw she was looking at the brute from District 11 at the medical station. He felt anger flare in his stomach, but turned around, shoulders tense, and walked over to Clove before he did something stupid.

* * *

"Have you made a decision yet?" Inquired Finnick when they got back from their personal training. Dash had gone to take a shower since the interviews would take place in a few hours. Finnick felt it had gone well. Dash was quick on his feet and could probably scale a greased marble wall, but without much experience with weapons or superior survival skills his chance went down greatly. Luctra wasn't as fast but was excellent at reading a persons weight distribution and balance. He figured that was from working the hang-line. She was good with a short sword and if he could manage a hook into the arena somehow she would have a real chance.

"No." Sighed Luctra. "I have to be sure they will include Dash before I say yes." She wasn't going to tell him that she also had Rue too consider now. Her defender of the weak complex was literally going to get her killed.

"You only have today and tomorrow to decide." He reminded her. "How did they look in training?" He asked referring to the Careers.

"District 2 is nothing short of lethal. District 1 I can handle but I wouldn't trust the girl with anything sharp around me." Summarized Luctra.

"She hates you bad then." Concluded Finnick. He had watched the security footage from the chariot bay so he knew better then Luctra how much 1 hated her.

"No. She's a fucking clutz." Laughed Luctra. "She went to throw a knife today and it flew behind her and almost hit Clove. It was hilarious!"

"I'm glad to see your enjoying this." Said Finnick sarcastically. Luctra stopped laughing and looked at him seriously.

"She obviously has skills with a bow and rope work. One on one and close she's nothing to worry about. Also she's more concerned about how she looks killing someone then using the proper technique to do it." Luctra recalled.

"Good. Go shower I can smell you from over here." Finnick teased earning him a couch pillow to the face.

* * *

"Wow Gem. This is…wow." Luctra gasped. Standing in front of a full length mirror she was completely awestruck at his work. Her hair was pulled back softly with two separate thin silver head bands, one near the front of her head and one near the middle. The rest of her hair at the back of her head cascaded down in big curls and waves. (AN: for a picture google 'greek goddess hairstyles, first photo) Peaking out from the curls and waves there were stones of different shapes and sizes that were all colors of the sea; blue, turquoise, aquamarine. Her make-up was like the one from the parade except midnight blues and charcoal. Her lips were a deep red almost purple and shone like glass when the light hit them.

"It's not going to smudge on my teeth is it Gem?" Asked Luctra running her tongue over her teeth just in case.

"Not a chance love." Gem confirmed.

In her ears she wore simple stone studs that matched the stones in her hair. Her dress was another gem, using the intended pun. It was a dark blue satin strapless floor length gown. The top was corseted, really the only way she wouldn't spill out of strapless and had a sweetheart neckline. The corset part went down to her hips, accentuating her hourglass shape. The skirt was a separate piece that rested just above where the corset ended. It was the same blue material but it was draped instead of being form fitting and flowed a bit behind her in a small train. There was a kick over her left leg exposing her leg almost to the hip. At the starting point of the kick on her hip there was large stone brooch in the shape of coral, which fastened the skirt together. On her feet she wore 4 inch heels that were fastened to her leg up to the knee with deep blue ribbon. The only other jewelry she had on was an arm band on her right arm shaped like a winding seahorse.

"I've never felt beautiful until now." She confessed to Gem. He smiled at her softly.

"You get beaten with an idea long enough you begin to believe it." Gem murmured. Before she could question him Petal came into the prep room.

"You look stunning Luctra. You are going to get so many sponsors!" Petal beamed confidently. "As long as you watch your language." Luctra opened her mouth to show Petal just how foul her language could be.

"Well let's head to the holding room." Gem interrupted before Luctra could get a word out.

* * *

When they got to the holding room not many Districts were there. Being number four it meant they had a little less time to get ready. However District 2 was there. She spotted him as soon as she walked in lounging back in one of the plush chairs like he owned the place, head resting on the back of the chair as he stared up at the ceiling.

Cato felt a shift in the room. Dragging his eyes from the ceiling he saw her. She looked incredible. Complete power and woman. She was built stronger than the other girls, but she was also way more developed. No wonder she had Glimmer furious. Being pretty and hot was one thing, but being naturally seductive and confident was another realm of attraction. Greek Goddess. Her mentor and stylist either won the lottery when she was selected because she was the living form of their angle. Or, more likely, they were just very smart.

Luctra watched as Cato dragged his eyes over her body. She was wrong, she felt more naked now then she had when she was on the prep table with Gem. He was in a gorgeous grey suit that emphasized the size of his chest. He was a killing machine and all of Panem would know it. He stopped looking at her body when Clove tapped him on the shoulder.

* * *

Looking away from Cato when his partner had wanted his attention Luctra spotted Finnick off to her right and made a b-line to get to him. Coming up behind him she poked him on the shoulder blade hard. Finnick turned around quickly and choked on his drink a little when he saw the woman behind him. Luctra was pretty sure the shock Finnick was feeling was because she was eye level with him now.

"Wow Luctra." Coughed Finnick. Gem had really outdone himself. This was not the same baggy clothed fish stained girl from the reaping. This was a young woman who was going to devastate the population.

"Four inch heels." She said. Finnick stared at her for a second not understanding. Then it clicked. She thought he was shocked because she was now eye level with him. This girl really had no clue that she had the same figure as the girls from those old world dirty magazines. Not that he had ever looked at any. Collecting himself he looked at the clock on the wall. 10 minutes till it started.

"Ok now do you remember everything we went over?" Asked Finnick.

"For the hundredth time YES!" Said Luctra rolling her eyes.

"Dash's interview won't go well if you don't do yours right." Reminded Finnick seriously.

"I know what's at stake Finnick." Hissed Luctra quietly. She glared dangerously right into his eyes, easier now that she was actually eye level with him. Finnick saw a force in Luctra that he hadn't seen before and it was a deadly determination to protect Dash. Speaking of Dash at that moment he came up beside them ending their conversation and staring contest.

"Wow Luc's you look like girl." Dash said shocked.

"Dash. I am a girl." Luctra said flatly.

"I know that but, like, a good looking girl." He tried to recover unsuccessfully.

"Kid learn when to put the shovel down and stop digging." Finnick told Dash patting him on the shoulder. Dash looked at him not getting the meaning.

"TRIBUTES TO LINE UP!" The voice from above announced.  _'Show time.'_  Luctra sent up a silent prayer that things would go off without a hitch.

* * *

If Luctra were from District 12 she would probably punch someone by the time it was her turn out of pure boredom. They were at District 3 now, and nothing eventful or interesting had happened. The bitch Glimmer was playing the beauty angle, Marvel the loveable killer, Clove the sadistic bitch, well ok the 'fierce predator', Cato the killing machine. He was surprisingly charming on stage, making him more evil in Luctra's mind. He didn't say anything unpredictable or out of the ordinary, but he was from District 2, who did he have to impress?

* * *

After his interview was finished Cato sat backstage in the holding room to watch the rest of the interviews. He wasn't particularly interested in them, except 11 to see how smart he was, and of course 4. His fascination was inappropriate considering the circumstance, but she was different in every way from all the girls he knew. When she didn't back down from him at the long range station he was a little turned on. Most girls were either terrified of him, or swooned over him. Except Clove, but Clove was the fucking exception to logic itself.

* * *

She was up next. Her stomach did a few flips as she heard the timer for the boy from 3, Azra, go off. First would be her intro by Caesar and then she would take the stage. She waited nervously to hear what he would say.

Caesar got off his chair and walked to center stage. Not saying anything to the crowd. Just smiling and nodding. Letting them know that he knew, that they knew, who was coming up next and that they were all dying of anticipation. The cheering began to rise and once it reached a level that seemed to please Caesar he began.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Capitol. Our next tribute has already captivated us, am I right?" He probed the crowd who applauded their agreement loudly.

"Starting off with an electrifying debut and revealing to us her secret treasure that only Capitol stylist could uncover." He said deeply like it was a dirty secret between him and the audience. _'Secret treasure? He makes it sound like I flashed all of them. Oh wait I kinda did...but not that way! Dirty minds people, dirty minds.'_  Luctra rambled to herself mentally. Oh yeah she was nervous.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN PLEASE WELCOME LUCTRA, GODDESS OF THE GAMES!" Shouted Caesar to the crowd who began screaming and applauding loudly. Luctra carefully walked out on to the stage hearing the appreciative and awed gasps from the audience when they took in her outfit. Approaching Caesar she smiled flirtatiously. Tonight she was supposed to bounce between flirty goddess and alpha mom depending on the question. Flirt she could do, especially with a guy who was not attractive to her at all. His hair was blue for god's sake! Right now Caesar was standing on stage looking back and forth between her and the cameras with a hand over his heart as she approached him. Like it was beating out of control at the sight of her. She swore Caesar was in on the angle. She may be showing a lot of skin but she wasn't that pretty.

Reaching Caesar she took his outstretched hand as he presented her to the crowd. He then guided her back to her seat. This is where the kick on the dress came into play. Her left leg was closest to the audience and thus was completely exposed while she sat down, her back ridged due to the corset making her breasts press against the boning and created a good amount of cleavage. The crowd quieted down as Caesar looked at her pensively.

"I have to tell you that you are, in all the MANY years that I have hosted, one of the few tributes that have ever shocked me." Caesar confessed.

"Oh I hope it didn't hurt too bad." Luctra fringed concern touching Caesar's hand in apparent apology, like maybe her lightning had actually struck him. The crowd laughed with Caesar.

"No no this was a wonderful shock." He said dreamily, which Luctra took as her cue to smile brightly, liked nothing made her happier. "Now when I saw the result of the transformation at the parade you took my breath away."

"Well the Capitol as stolen mine so I think that makes us even." She teased touching the area over her heart lightly with her palm. The crowd seemed to like the answer as they began to murmur positively between each other.

"Now you and your district partner were the living embodiment of Amphitrite and Triton. Not a common style we have seen at the games." He pointed out.

"Yes. Well Dash is like a son to me, the closest thing to a son I may ever have in my life." She said sounding disappointed and a little choked up. Her face changing slightly with the word son, becoming a little more fierce while looking sadden at the idea of not having children. The crowd ohh and awed their sympathy and heartache for her. They were eating up her every word.

"How deeply touching. You must really care for him." Caesar consoled taking hand and squeezing it.

"More the anything. Though I have to keep a closer eye on him since I think he's taken with a few ladies in the Capitol!" Luctra suggested putting on her best I-love-him-but-he-drives-me-crazy face and laughing lightly. She heard many Capitol women yelling their assent.

"Dangerous to care so much about another Tribute in the games don't you think?" Caesar pondered to her, folding his hands in front of his face like he was praying. Luctra smiled darkly. They had rehearsed this answer a few times.

"Of course." Caesar looked at her, urging her to continue excitedly. "If I was the other tributes I would be terrified." A small laughter rose from the crowd.

"And why is that?" Caesar laughed lightly though he seemed to genuinely want to know why.

"Have you ever seen animals in the wild?" Luctra asked Caesar coyly, switching back to flirty.

"Only on screens." He answered smiling and laughing as if the idea of seeing animals in real life was completely amusing. Caesar always loved it when the tributes took part in the interview so well.

"Well the most dangerous and savage of all creatures are mothers protecting their young. They are unstoppable." She spoke softly and dangerously. She had put the dark smile on her face making her seem seductive and dangerous at the same time. The crowd went wild. They were in love with her. She had them hooked, just like Finnick said she would.

"Dangerous and unstoppable. The most deadly type of tribute in any games." Caesar praised. Just then the buzzer sounded. The crowd let out a loud disappointed sigh as they realized her time was up. Standing up Caesar took her hand and presented her at the front of the stage a final time.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMENT YOUR GODDESS OF THE GAMES!" He shouted kissing her hand and Luctra curtsied deeply, exposing her leg fully toward the audience. Looking out at the crowd she saw Gem whistling at her and getting the people all around him excited. The leg, the answers, the attitude. All part of the game and she would play it any way she had to too keep them safe.

* * *

Back stage Clove was sitting beside Cato. "She's good."

"Yeah, she will be." Cato replied not realizing what he said. Clove just looked at him knowing he wasn't talking about the Hunger Games at the moment. Cato watched Luctra's leg hungrily and her answers were waking something up in him. He just didn't know what it was at the moment.

* * *

Luctra entered the holding room at that moment and walked up to her mentor.

"Hey how did I do?" Luctra asked concerned. Finnick saw the worry in her eyes.

"I couldn't have done it better if I had your boobs and dress on." He cheekily said. The worry was replaced with astonishment in her eyes. Finnick was just so unpredictable to Luctra. Shaking his head in laughter Finnick turned back to the screen. Together they watched Dash work the crowd like a born pro. He gushed about Luctra, pretending to accidentally call her mom, talked about how he had seen so many beautiful ladies in the Capitol that he was now set for life, and how he hoped that those ladies thought he was cute. He even managed to look bashful with the last comment.

"Oh god Finnick he's a mini you!" Groaned Luctra shaking her head. Finnick smiled like a proud papa bear.

"There are worse things he could be." He replied. She knew Finnick was right. She was looking at one of those things right now. Cato was talking with Marvel on the other side of the room. He had taken his over jacket off and opened the top buttons of his shirt exposing a bit more of his marble chest. As he gestured with his arm she saw the muscles flex through the small opening. Luctra felt her body flush and forced herself to look away.

The rest of the interviews passed. Luctra thought Rue was adorable, like a little pixie. And then there was the District 12 bombshell. When she saw Peeta's face while he confessed his love she felt that feeling again. Oh yeah she was super dead. She had 3 people to look after now. She was always a sucker for the nice guy who wore his heart on his sleeve.

"So it's going to be the mother-son versus the star-crossed lovers." Finnick calculated as they made their way down the hall to the elevators.

"Star-crossed lovers are going to be hard to go up against." Luctra predicted.

"Yes and no. If they aren't together in the arena the Capitol's attention will shift to you until they are together. That means you'll have to stick with Dash." Finnick warned. Luctra nodded firmly and then rubbed her arm.  _'Shit'_

"Finnick I have to go back to the holding room." She called though she had already turned and started back before he could protest.

Cato saw Luctra out of the corner of his eye. She had turned around and was headed back to the holding room. He couldn't pass up the opportunity that had so easily been provided for him.

"I'll see you later." He told Clove turning to follow Luctra.

Walking back into the holding room Luctra spotted her arm band on one of the coffee tables. She had taken it off when the tail of the sea horse had bitten into her skin one too many times. Cato watched her from just outside the door. He needed to talk to her, but out in the open was too risky. Seeing her start to turn towards him he quickly hid behind a pillar just outside the room. She then came out and started heading towards the elevators, so he followed her silently staying hidden until she was stepping into the elevator.

Luctra was startled when a hand shot between the elevator doors preventing them from closing. She was leaning against the back wall when the doors opened and he walked in and pushed 2.

Cato waited till the elevator started a bit before pushing the emergency stop. _'That button is for emergencies people. Not the corner Luctra to talk button!'_  She shouted in her head as she watched him turn back to her. Cato closed the distance between them placing a hand on either side of her head against the wall behind her trapping her with his body.

Cato realized that she was almost at eye level with him now. ' _Must be the shoes.'_  He thought breathing in slowly and controlled. He liked the way she smelled. Like sea salt and vanilla. He stared into her eyes which were focused on him assessing every action for possible threat. He cleared his throat.

"Cato." He said. Luctra could feel the word on her lips they were so close. She tilted her head slightly like she was thinking hard.

"What's another four letter word for jerk?" She clipped. Cato raised an eyebrow at her. He didn't like being insulted so he pushed his body right against hers pressing her firmly into the elevator wall. Her hands shot to his shoulders as she gasped at the intrusive contact. Cato felt a bit of pleasure when he heard her gasp.

"I know a better four letter word." He mused. Luctra wasn't going to ask him what it was. Her fear and panic at being this close to someone she found attractive took over. Cato felt her shift and knew what she was going to try. Luctra shifted her leg which was freer because of the kick and tried to knee Cato in the groin. He blocked her knee with his forcing her's on the outside of his. He then dropped his hand from the wall and cupped that leg behind her knee. Luctra felt the callouses on his hands rub against the sensitive skin behind her knee and felt it tingling. He pulled her leg up so it rested close to where his hip was and didn't release it. She was really trapped now. Their bodies intimately close.

"What do you want 2?" Demanded Luctra. She was in a very compromising position right now. Both physically and mentally. Cato pressed into her harder. If she hadn't been so in shock at the situation she would have groaned.

"You proved that you can't ask questions properly so you've lost that privilege from here on out." Cato informed her. He was in control right now and she needed to acknowledge that. He waited for her to say something. When she didn't he took it as a sign that she was complying with his order.

"Clove offered you a spot in the Careers Alliance, correct?" He questioned looking straight into her eyes. Their faces were less than two inches apart. She could smell the mint on his breath.

"Yes." She breathed out softly. It was highly sensual to Cato. To Luctra she was just trying to control her breathing with the restricted space her lungs now had.

"And you told her you needed to see our skills first, correct?" He continued. Luctra felt like she was taking a quiz in school. Though a quiz in this position would get a teacher fired.

"Yes." She breathed again. Cato had to get the answer he needed quick before he lost his composure and control; her voice was doing inappropriate things to him right now.

"And what's your answer?" Cato asked his voice a bit deeper than before staring deeply into her eyes. Luctra thought she would have more time to figure this out. He was just using her right now. Luctra figured he knew how attractive he was and that a girl like her wouldn't be familiar with this type of attention. Luctra decided he was an asshole because he was right. Her inexperience set her on edge around attractive males. Cato saw a shift in her eyes and her chest rise. He knew she had made her decision and was set on it.

"He has to be included." She breathed again. Cato thought for a minute. The deal was for District 4 so she had to mean someone other than her partner. Cato's chest flared with anger. The guy from 11. Luctra felt his chest rise and saw the anger flood his eyes. He was pissed she wanted to include Dash.

"Not. A. Chance." Cato said darkly his voice even deeper. He saw in her eyes that her resolve was set. She wasn't going to join without 11 and he would be damned if he let that happen. Taking the pressure off her body a little bit Cato moved back enough to see her hands on his shoulders but never broke their body contact. In one hand she held the arm band she had gone back for. Smiling he pulled his other hand off the wall and took the band from her hand.  _'So now he's gonna steal my stuff too.'_  Luctra fumed. Taking her hand off his shoulder with the hand that also held the arm band Cato brought it down to her side. He put her hand through the cuff and slowly began to pull it up her arm feeling her shiver slightly, which made him happy. As the arm band traveled up her arm he spoke.

"He's not worth it." He continued. "There are better options." Luctra looked at him warningly. The arm bandwas now back in its place but Cato still had his hand around her upper bicep.

"He is the only option." She said slowly. Cato's tightened his grip on her arm furious at her words. Taking the hand from behind her knee and dropping her leg Cato reached back and restarted the elevator. When the elevator dinged for the second floor Cato backed out of the elevator.

"I'm going to enjoy showing you he isn't. As painfully as possible." He threatened. Cato vowed he would make her realize he was her only option. He wouldn't let anyone kill her before she admitted that he was the better, the real, the only option she had. The elevator doors closed and Cato heard a fist slam on the other side. He smirked to himself as he walked towards the door to the suite.

Getting into the shower later Cato let the hot water wash the tension out of his back.  _'One day left.'_ He thought tragically. Only in the privacy of his room would he drop the sadistic killer persona and soon it would not just be a persona anymore and he hated that.

* * *

Luctra couldn't believe her bad luck. Cato was now out for Dash's blood, so there went all the Career Alliance options and strategies. She needed to find another option.

* * *

AN: Chappie 5 down in so few days! I'm so excited. Thanks for keeping up the story and much love to those who have added it to your favs list. I am honored! The next chapter will cover the last day of training and then the evaluations.

Rayn


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: Last chapter before they enter the arena! Can you feel the tension! This chapter is going to set up a lot for the future. So stick with me. As you can tell from the last chapter I am now going to be adding in more information about what the other characters are thinking and the point of view, but I will NEVER switch into first person. I hate first person Fanfictions. Also for those readers who are wondering there is definitely going to be some Cato/Luctra smut. But if you've read any of my other stories I like to build a foundation, and Luctra is a tough one to crack, but the arena is going to have a lot more…physical…confrontations.

**Now I know that a lot of people now simply add stories to their alerts of favourites, but I am an old school fanfic user and writer and I WANT FEEDBACK! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! OTHERWISE I HAVE NO CLUE IF I AM HEADING IN A DIRECTION YOU LIKE, OR ONE YOU HATE!  
**

Enjoy!

Chapter Six:

The Last Night

Luctra was afraid to tell Finnick what had happened. Therefore when she got back to the suite she rushed into her room right away claiming to be exhausted. The guilt was eating her alive. She had pretty much just signed Dash's death certificate. Cato was after him and they could only out run him for so long. She could see it now. The grand finale. Her fighting Cato to the death trying to protect Dash from him. The alpha mom going up against the alpha male. He would play with her, wear her out and then immobilize her, probably painfully and then kill Dash right in front of her. What he would do to her after that she had no idea, and that scared her more. Feeling tears prick her eyes she stripped out of her dress and jumped in the shower, covering up the sounds of her sobs. After scrubbing the make-up from her face and deeming she had all the 'Cato' off her body Luctra crawled into bed naked and fell into a deep exhausted sleep.

* * *

Standing outside Finnick's door in the early morning Luctra took a deep breath. Raising her hand she knocked loudly on the door. The door swung open to reveal a bare chested Finnick in blue pyjama bottoms with a tooth brush still in his mouth. Both were equally stunned to see the other in the current situation. Luctra because Finnick was half naked with foam dripping from the corner of his mouth, and Finnick because Luctra was awake without him having to throw a bucket of water on her.

"We need to talk." Luctra said in a serious tone. Finnick knew the fact Luctra was up early and using that tone meant something was up. Moving aside he gestured for her to come in the room as he went into the bathroom to rinse out his mouth. Luctra looked around Finnick's room. It had the same personal touches as on the train. She walked over to the dressing table and picked up a photo that was sitting on it. It was of Finnick and a young girl. He had his arms wrapped around her and they seemed genuinely happy.

"Annie Cresta." Finnick said cautiously leaning on the frame of the bathroom door. He could tell Luctra was on edge and not just about the impending games.

"She looks happy." Luctra pointed out still looking at the photo. "She important to you?" She asked running her fingers over the design on the silver frame. Finnick debated on what answer to give her. There was the truth and then the Capitol answer. Though if anyone would honor the secrecy of the information it was Luctra he decided. She was after all protective of everyone she liked, and he was pretty sure that included him.

"Love of my life." Finnick answered bluntly. Luctra's head snapped from the photo to Finnick. He wasn't sure what her reaction would be. A real heart felt smile spread across her face.

"That's great Finnick." She said sincerely. He wasn't expecting that. "You deserve all the happiness you can get after surviving the horrors of the games." Or that either.

"The games change you. Unfortunately for Annie they were more devastating." He said sadly walking up and looking at the photo in Luctra's hands. Putting the photo down she turned and perched on the edge of the dressing table.

"If seeing someone decapitated doesn't change you then you have no soul." Said Luctra harshly. Knowing this must be a hard topic for Finnick she softened her voice before she continued. "What I mean is, the gentler and purer the soul the more devastating the toll will be on the person."

"Your smart kid." Sighed Finnick looking at Luctra backing and standing beside the window. He thought of his Annie. She had been one of the sweetest and most kind hearted people in all of Panem before she entered the games. Seeing her partner decapitated broke her heart and shattered her faith in humanity. Finnick loved her with all his heart and it tore him every time she had an episode.

"You know what the great think about faith is though?" Luctra asked him gently. She didn't wait for him to answer her. "It can always be restored." Finnick just stared at her. This girl was a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery surrounded by barbed wire and bombs.

"Now I have some bad news." She started changing the topic. "I can't join the Careers."

"Right….why?" Finnick asked blankly. ' _What the hell happened between the interview and now'?_  Finnick wondered. ' _Wait what did happen?'_ He thought as he recalled her behaviour from last night when she got back to the suite. Luctra took in a shaky breath.

"They won't include Dash in the Alliance." She quivered. She was on the verge of bursting into tears. Finnick knew the girl had put the pressure of the impossible on her shoulders. The pressure to make sure that someone else became victor and no die before that happened.

"Hey hey it's not the end of the world." Soothed Finnick as he moved to stand in front of taking her shoulders into his hands rubbing his hands up and down over her arms.

"For Dash it is!" She sobbed. All the emotions from last night came back to her.

"Luctra he still has you." Finnick comforted bringing her into a full hug. He was normally pretty good at not getting attached to tributes, but Luctra had the knack for bringing people close to her simply with her honest caring nature. He recalled Petal telling him that Luctra reminded her of a Dazzle Dag. A rare mutation bug that glowed brightly with a hypnotic power that caused the person to become happy and follow it regardless of where it led. Like the Dazzle Dag when Luctra left people felt something was missing from their lives.

"WHAT DOES THAT MATTER SINCE I MADE HIM A TARGET!" Cried Luctra desperately into Finnick's chest. She was on the verge of becoming hysterical.

"Come again?" Finnick said doing a double take, pulling back from Luctra to look at her face.

"That's what he said." Luctra sobbed out. Finnick didn't know whether to laugh or take her to the medic bay to see if she had been poisoned.

"Dirty!" He laughed opting for the first hoping to calm her down. "Now go in the bathroom, splash some water on your face and then we can talk." He told her strongly. Not that Luctra was in a state to argue with him. She walked into the bathroom shutting the door behind her. Coming out a few minutes later she found Finnick dressed and staring out the window.

"Cato is after him." She said quietly as she leaned on the door frame. Finnick whipped around, not expecting this to be the problem. Because it was a SERIOUS problem.

"What do you mean 'after' him?" Finnick said hoping that it didn't mean what he thought it meant. That maybe 'after him' meant something different to Luctra then it did to himself.

"Cato corned me in the elevator after I went back for my arm band." She told him. "He asked for my decision and told him I wouldn't join them unless he would include Dash." Luctra knew she was omitting things but Finnick didn't need to know about the other stuff. She was embarrassed about it and all that mattered was what she now had to do to protect Dash.

"And he said no." Finnick guessed.

"Actually he pretty much said hell no." Luctra said trembling a little remembering the darkness in his voice and angry eyes boring into hers. "He said Dash wasn't worth it, I told him he was and where he could stick it basically." She said proudly and then let out a huff of air. "He vowed he would prove to me that he was my only option, that Dash was worth nothing." She finished shakily. His determination had frightened her. It was just as strong, if not stronger then her determination to protect Dash.

Finnick rubbed his hands over his face. A habit he had when he was frustrated. He wasn't upset with Luctra, on the contrary, he admired her dedication to keeping Dash alive, a dedication that would kill her, but he couldn't think about that right now.

"You're going to have to avoid the Cornucopia entirely. Dash would have no chance in the bloodbath now." Finnick muttered through his fingers. Luctra had figured this already, but hearing it from Finnick just solidified it.

"What if I headed in, grabbed what I could and found him later?" Luctra suggested. They had planned for her to head into the bloodbath with the Careers anyway, but as an ally. The only difference was she planned on taking supplies out when they hunted and somehow smuggling them to Rue, who according to Dash was going to be Dash's ally. She wasn't going to tell Finnick that though.

"It's risky. With a target on Dash the girl from 1 will likely head straight for you." Finnick theorized. During the chaos of the bloodbath if Luctra was completely focused on proctecting Dash it would leave her vulnerable.

"I can handle Glimmer." Luctra pointed out. "And I may not have a choice."

Finnick knew she was right.

* * *

Cato had cooled down since last night, but his anger returned full force the minute he walked into the training centre and saw the two of them at the climbing station together. Luctra and Thresh weren't talking, or even close to each other, but to Cato they were close enough to piss him off. Cato knew he was a competitive person, hell he was over the top competitive. When it came to girls though he wasn't used to having to compete. But he had never lost before and wasn't planning on starting. On this train of thought Cato began to start fuming.

"Cool it hot head she's just climbing." Clove hissed from beside him. How the fuck Clove knew how to read him he would never know.

"Piss off Clove. I'm going to the hand-to-hand combat station." He said not waiting to see if she was going to join him at the station. Cato stood off to the side a little at the station a few minutes later. Marvel joined him at the station which had a few other tributes at it already. Probably the ones who would be stupid enough to enter the bloodbath and were trying to prepare.

"So what's the deal?" Marvel asked quietly watching the girl from 9 trying to learn how to punch. It was kind of pathetic.

"4 is out." Cato replied stiffly not looking away from the centre of the station. Marvel looked at Cato shocked.

"Seriously?" He went on. "Was it because of Glimmer?" Marvel figured the distrust of his partner could be the only reason that 4 turned down joining the alliance. Cato exhaled slowly through his nose. Looking up he found Luctra was now at the plant station and watched her closely. He noticed that she bit her lip when she was focused on something new to her, and the way she carried herself was so feminine but unlike Glimmer it was just a natural sway. He looked back to Marvel

"That's exactly why." He lied.

* * *

Luctra was at the medical station trying to get some tap off her fingers when she heard the commotion. Wanting to know what the hell was going on, and to make sure Dash was not involved she quickly headed over to where the noise was coming from.

"WHERE'S MY KNIFE I KNOW YOU TOOK IT!" Cato shouted at the male tribute from 6. The kid was terrified denying that he had anything to do with its disappearance. Luctra hadn't seen Cato angry yet, but if she were a betting girl she would bet that Cato's downfall, if any, would be his temper, since he was clearly overreacting right now, and not just for show. Just behind Cato she noticed Thresh and the girl from 12 looking up at something smiling slightly. She followed their gaze and almost groaned out loud. There in the netting above Cato and 6 was Rue and Dash, and in Rue's hand was the knife Cato was bellowing about.  _'Dash you do not need to make him even more pissed at you!'_

Shaking her head and turning away Luctra decided to try the camouflage station. If anything she could learn a quick way to blend into the bushes, or sand, or gravel, or whatever shit the Gamemakers put in the arena this year. Walking over she saw Peeta was already there absorbed in his work.

"That's amazing." Luctra blurted out as she saw the bark pattern on his hand. Peeta jumped a little not noticing she had approached him and, because, the girl from 4 was incredibly intimidating.

"Uh thanks." He said unsure. Luctra gave him a bright smile which he returned relaxed now at the comforting vibe she was giving off.

"You're welcome. If I need my face painted I'm coming to find you!" She said before she could stop herself. She had forgotten where she was for a second and had spoken as if he were in one of the booths at the Sea Fair. A comment like that could be taken so many ways here, and some of them weren't good.

Peeta just stared at the girl from 4. He had seen her at the parade when they passed in front and she had looked fierce and deadly. Then at the interview he had felt connected to her, she was here protecting someone she cared about, even though it would mean dying herself. For this reason he took a chance.

"Well if I need a trident thrown at something I'll come find you." He told her honestly. She nodded at him and he nodded back. The pact was made. Though loose and undefined both parties had a feeling the other would hold to it. They also both silently understood that their loved ones were off limits to each other unless Dash attacked Katniss or vice versa. Luctra saw the girl from 12 coming over and decided to leave the two alone. Their time was also limited together. Looking around and seeing Cato at the hand-to-hand combat station she needed to figure out somewhere else to go.

Unfortunately in walking around and trying to figure out what station to go to next Luctra found herself face to face with Glimmer. Obviously Glimmer had been waiting to confront her for a while. Luctra was a little surprised it had taken this long.

"You must think you have it so safe right now." Glimmer sneered. She was taller than Luctra by about 2 inches but nowhere near as strong.

"Well we are in the training center so yeah I kinda do. Unless you plan on trying to throw a knife again." Luctra mocked in horror. Glimmer's face filled with blood turning it red and she began to huff. Apparently she didn't like being reminded of her fiasco the other day.

"At least I don't have to be a prostitute to get sponsors." Glimmer scoffed at her. Luctra's eyes almost bugged out of her skull at the accusation. She averted her eyes around Glimmer trying to help herself cool off by not looking at Glimmer's face. Oh she wished she could throttle the girl, then she spotted it. Maybe she could beat her a little…

Cool enough Luctra brought her eyes back down and burned her gaze into Glimmer. "Excuse me?" Luctra said her voice raising a notch in outrage.

"You heard me bitch." Glimmer retorted. She wasn't expecting Luctra to step towards her threateningly. So Glimmer took a step back.  _'Perfect'_  Snarled Luctra mentally.

"Oh I heard you. I was just giving you a chance to correct yourself." Luctra said in a low voice. She took a more angled step forward, and Glimmer moved back and to the opposite angle as Luctra. Glimmer had no idea that Luctra was herding her.

* * *

Cato was throwing around the kid from District 9 when Marvel pulled him out of the station by the arm.

"What the hell Marvel?" Cato said clearly pissed he had been interrupted. Marvel said nothing, he just pointed. Cato turned to see what Marvel was pointing at. Heading their way were Glimmer, who had her back to them and Luctra. They were obviously arguing, about what Cato had no clue. But Glimmer was obviously not willing to let Luctra get close to her and was walking backwards to prevent Luctra getting within striking range. Cato had seen Luctra pissed off before, the trident incident being the first, and even furious, like in the elevator, but he had never seen pure rage. Cato thought she looked startling beautiful. Pure emotion was a rare thing to see and seeing it on Luctra made Cato want her even more. Cato was surprised at the revelation, of course he knew he was physically attracted to Luctra, but he hadn't realized he was attracted to HER as a person.

"Oh this is gonna be good." Marvel cheered rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Cato grunted in agreement still thinking over this new revelation.

* * *

"I'm not wrong. Ask your mentor. If, by some mistake, you win the games you're going to have to sleep with so many men that by the time your debt is paid you'll be as valuable as stinky dead fish." Glimmer taunted continuing to step back as Luctra moved forward. Luctra was seeing red again, but unlike with the trident, Luctra was dangerously clear minded. Thankfully she had Glimmer right where she wanted her and Glimmer had no idea. Luctra's hand shot out and grabbed a fistful of the front Glimmer's shit jerking her closer.

"My fate is my choice. No one decides it for me." Luctra snarled. Glimmer was squirming around trying to get away.

"You can't touch me!" Glimmer shrieked trying to pry Luctra's hand off her. She smirked darkly in response. Luctra had been pushed too far and now that dark part of her, the part that she rarely let loose, was poking to the surface.

"Oh yes I can." Luctra corrected. It was then that Glimmer realized where she was. Glimmer's eyes grew huge and filled with fear. Luctra had guided Glimmer right into the now empty hand-to-hand combat station. With a sinister smile Luctra tightened the grip she had on Glimmer's shirt, making sure she had the front of Glimmer's bra, rotated 180 degrees bringing Glimmer onto her(Luctra's) back before twisting and slamming Glimmer on her(Glimmer's) back into the mat with the full force of her(Luctra's) weight. Luctra got up and waited for Glimmer to get to her knees. When Glimmer got up on all fours Luctra planted a well-aimed kick to the ribcage, causing Glimmer to roll away violently ending up face down on the mat a few feet away. As Glimmer struggled to get up Luctra pounced onto her back grinding Glimmer into the mats. Glimmer was now sprawled out like a squashed bug underneath Luctra. Luctra grabbed Glimmer's outstretched arm and forced it backwards at a painful angle. Luctra then dug her opposite knee into Glimmer's lower back right on the spine. Glimmer was crying out in pain and Luctra saw the instructors were about to intervene.

Luctra leaned down and whispered into Glimmer's ear. "This is me reigned in sweetheart." Luctra snarled and then got off of Glimmer and walked out of the station. Luctra stopped and turned when she heard someone clapping behind her. Luctra was confused to find it was Marvel. He was a weird kid, considering he was clapping for the girl that just kicked the crap out of his partner.

"Hey 4?" Marvel excitedly called to her. She noticed that Cato said nothing from beside Marvel. He was just leaning against the station pillar with his arms crossed trying to burn a hole through her head with his eyes. Eyes that were looking at her as cold as ice. She briefly wondered what his eyes looked like when he was happy. She quickly snapped back to reality.

"What?" She said letting out annoyed breath. Her anger was draining out of her and with it her energy.

"Can I be your Poseidon?" He asked her excitedly. Cato snapped his head to Marvel. He couldn't believe the kid was hitting on Luctra. He had to admit, the fight was pretty hot to watch, and Marvel seemed like he would have sex with pretty much anything that had pulse.

Luctra was thrown a little by Marvel. He was part of the Careers and hitting on her right in front of Cato. Luctra didn't know Marvel at all but she knew his type and wanted nothing to do with him. Not wanting to further the conversation or somehow piss off another Career Luctra simply said "No." and continued walking.

Cato was not sure why he was so relieved when she said no to Marvel. Maybe because unlike Thresh Cato would have to wait to kill Marvel. He didn't know what the fight had been about but what Luctra had said to Glimmer stuck with him. Could you really decide your own fate in the Hunger Games?

* * *

The last training session ended earlier giving Tributes time to relax and recharge for the evaluations that would take place just after lunch had finished. After that they could have one more private session and then it would be time to watch the scores and finally dinner. Luctra stormed into the suite throwing the door open so hard it left a dent in the wall that it slammed into.

"FINNICK GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE NOW!" Luctra yelled into the suite moving to stand in the living room beside one of the couches. If she had been pissed at Glimmer she was infuriated with Finnick. She had told Dash to go check in with Petal in the medic room since he had gotten a cut at the training center. Also she didn't want him to hear the coming argument.

Hearing her loud and clear Finnick came rushing into the room expecting there to be something wrong, like Dash being hurt or the Careers telling her that she was their number one target. He didn't expect her to look at him like she wanted to rip him apart and then beat him with the pieces.

"What's wrong?" He asked walking around to the other side of the couch that Luctra was beside. He felt it was wise to put something between them. She followed him as he moved, now standing facing him, the couch between them. If looks could kill Finnick would have been dead 3 times over. He had never seen Luctra look this hostile before.

"You sold me out!" She accused him. Finnick was confused.

"What do you mean I sold you out?" He questioned carefully. She was like a lioness right now and could pounce at any moment. He needed to tread carefully till she calmed down.

"Did you or did you not get me sponsors by offering sex with me in exchange if I win." She said angrily walking up to the couch and placing her hands on the back leaning forward over it slightly as she spoke. Finnick swallowed and looked away. That was enough of an answer for Luctra. She exploded flipping the couch over as she screamed at him in outrage. Finnick was stunned when he saw her flip the couch. Apparently she was even stronger when she was REALLY angry.

He wasn't going to tempt her anger by saying anything since he couldn't say anything to make it better. Luctra paced back and forth behind the now flipped couch quickly while muttering to herself sending the occasional glare at Finnick. Suddenly she stopped and looked right at Finnick. The look in her eyes tore a piece of his soul out. Pure betrayal shone through her eyes.

"I trusted you." She said coldly. She had thrown her walls up against Finnick in that moment, walls that should have been there since she first saw him on the train. He just stood there, with nothing to say. Finnick was ripping apart inside. Yes it was true but he couldn't tell her it was alright, that there was a bigger plan. Not without jeopardizing everything. There was no way he could reassure and explain to her that she wouldn't have to follow it through, completely.

Luctra spun around and walked quietly to her room. Finnick winced as he heard her door slam.

* * *

Dash knew something had happened the minute he walked into the suite. Not just because of the over turned couch, but there was a cold vibe in the suite. One of the best things about Luctra was also one of the worst. She projected her emotions, so if you were sad and she wanted you to feel better, you felt a warm healing vibe, if she was upset with you then it would feel like the arctic when you were around her. Looking around he saw a shape in the fish tank. Someone was on the other side of the tank so he walked around it until he saw it was Finnick. Dash could tell he was deep in thought so he wasn't going to bother him. Dash turned to head to the kitchen.

"Has Luctra ever dated anyone Dash?" Finnick asked stopping Dash's retreat. The question surprised Dash and he automatically went into protective mode.

"You're not good enough for her." He said strongly. It wasn't the nicest way to say it but Dash had seen how flirty and touchy Finnick was with the woman in the Capitol. Dash adored, even loved Luc's, and she deserved someone who would be as loyal as she was and would protect her just as fiercely as she protected, well everyone. Finnick laughed. The kid had guts.

"You misunderstand me. There have been…developments…and it's important that I know." Finnick explained turning to Dash and leaned on his should against the massive tank.

"Why don't you ask her?" Dash asked skeptically. Not sure if he should answer. After all this was about Luc's personal life.

"She's angry with me right now." Finnick answered honestly. Dash seemed to accept his answer since in the short few days there had been more than one occasion that Luctra had been angry with Finnick and flat out refused to talk to him. Normally after he dumped water on her in the morning.

"No. She hasn't." Dash confirmed. Dash then began laughing.

"What?" Finnick asked raising an eyebrow. "Did I say something funny?"

"No no." Dash answered catching his breath and wave a hand dismissing Finnick's comment. "Was just remembering the couple of times I have seen guys approach her, well certain guys. Sometimes she's nice, sometimes really mean." Dash explained. Finnick was curious now.

"Why the difference?" Finnick asked digging deeper.

"Not really sure. But the ones she's downright nasty too are kinda like you, or the guy from 2." Dash said scratching his head, wondering if it was okay to compare the two of them.

"You mean tall?" Finnick probed further. He knew it wasn't the reason, but it would get Dash to correct him and explain further.

"No." Dash stopped looking like he was trying to find the right words. "The guys that all the other girls like." He finished. Dash didn't want to talk anymore so he shrugged his shoulders and headed to the kitchen. He needed cake.

Back at the tank Finnick watched the fish swim by. Luctra made a little more sense to him now. She was afraid of attractive men, or maybe just men she was attracted too. So if she had never dated that probably meant she was sexually inexperienced, maybe even a virgin. Finnick rubbed his face with his hands and sighed. No wonder she felt betrayed, and scared. He just hoped she could forgive him. If the chance ever came.

* * *

Luctra felt numb after entering her room. She had trusted Finnick. And worse, Glimmer had been right. Maybe Finnick was counting on the fact that she would sacrifice herself for Dash. But if Dash, or Rue, or even Peeta, were all killed before her, by some cruel trick of fate, she would have to fight. She couldn't just roll over and die at that point and she knew it. If they were gone then she had to win it, for them. So she could somehow make amends to their families for failing them. But Finnick hadn't thought of that. No he had royally fucked her life up no matter what happened now. She could never prostitute herself, so then what? Would the sponsor seek other forms of payment, or revenge? On her or maybe even her family? It was all just too much for Luctra to think about so she crawled into bed, still in her training clothes, and went to sleep.

Petal had come in and woken her up a couple hours later. It was time to get ready for the evaluations. She showered and put on a fresh pair of training clothes and her leather fingerless gloves. Gem had pulled her hair in a high pony tail again though this time she had two warrior braids running from her temples into the pony tail, like he had done for her press photos. Gem used dark liner to make her eyes more almond shaped, like a lioness. She didn't even look at Finnick as she and Dash headed to the elevator with Petal. She wasn't worried for herself. She knew she could manage to pull out an 8, but Dash might score on the low end. That would not help her with the Cato situation.

* * *

They waited with the other tributes as they were called in one by one to present themselves to the Gamemakers. She avoided eye contact with Cato sticking close to Dash, making sure she was physically between where ever Cato was and where ever Dash was. Cato knew she was avoiding looking at him and found it amusing, and would have pointed that out to her if they weren't around so many people. He was called in after Clove had finished. He focused on his task, pushing aside the disappointing knowledge that the next time he saw Luctra would be in the arena.

Luctra let out a sigh of relief as Cato went in. She wouldn't have to see Cato again until they were in the arena. He unnerved her and she knew it wasn't just because he was after Dash. He was animalistic, in touch with his baser instincts, like she was. But unlike her primal need to protect, his was a primal need to hunt. And he was hunting Dash to kill, but what he would be hunting her for she wasn't sure.

"District 4, girl." The announcement rang out in the room. Standing up Luctra made her way into the evaluation room. Once she entered the room she noticed how dark it was, except for the demonstration area which was spotlighted. Straight ahead of her was the area that had all the weapons available in the training center and a few that the mentors had probably requested be there. Looking up she saw that the Gamemakers were elevated above the demonstration area on a mezzanine level. She had their attention before she walked in. Luctra walked up to the center of the demonstration area just below the Mezzanine.

"Luctra Fanto. District 4." She said waiting for Seneca to give her permission to start. She saw him nod his head telling her to proceed. Doing a quick scan of the Gamemakers she saw that some were looking at her out of curiosity and some were downright leering at her.  _'Maybe I should just bend over.'_  She thought repulsively.

As disgusting as it is Luctra knew she had to give them a show. Walking up to the long-range section she picked up a medium sized trident and in a flash launched it into the dummy 15 feet behind her. It embedded itself deeply in the dummy's stomach. Next she went for what she hoped would elevate her score. On the short range table there was a hook and carving knife. A lot more ornate then the ones she used at the plant, but also a lot sharper and lighter. Picking them up she walked up to one of the dummies and began the routine that was second nature to her.

First she sliced upwards and cut off the dummy's arm in a single clean stroke. Quickly and violently she does the same to the other side. Next she jammed the hook into the lower back of the dummy and she then began to scale it, or in this case skin the dummy with precision strokes peeling back layer after layer. For person in real life it would be gruesome, horrific and torturous to experience as with this type of precision the person would die slowly and with certain areas experience horrific pain, like if you shaved down a nerve. She swiftly moved the hook and rotated the back of the dummy towards her in a graceful dance. She then shaved down the skin and muscles off the dummy's back. Dropping her weapons she ducked behind the dummy and faced the Gamemakers once she had made eye contact with enough of them she wrapped her arms around the dummies head and violent ripped it off, never once looking away from the mezzanine. Now in real life she was 110% sure she couldn't literally rip off some one's head, but it sent a message to the Gamemakers about her physical strength. Dropping the dummies head Luctra went back to where she had announced herself and waited to be dismissed.

"You are dismissed Tribute Luctra. And may the odds be ever in your favour." Seneca wished her. He was probably already planning on how to make it so she could skin someone during the games.  _'The only humans that deserve something like that are you people.'_ She thought maliciously and she left the room from the opposite side she came in.

* * *

"LUCTRA THE SCORES ARE COMING ON!" Dash yelled to her. Luctra walked into the living room with the viewing screen rubbing her wet hair with a towel. There was no way she was going to try figuring out the hair dryer. Not after the shower glitter incident.

"I'm here I'm here." She shushed him. Luctra took a seat in the arm chair directly across from the screen. She felt Finnick looking at her from the couch just to her left but refused to look or even acknowledge him.

Claudius and Caesar rolled on the screen making chit chat about how this year's games are shaping up to be the most competitive and dramatic and yada yada yada. Luctra wasn't in the mood to listen to it. She wanted to know her score then go to bed and hope she didn't wake up in the morning. She chastised herself for the last part. It was selfish of her to think that with Dash here.

The scores began to roll out with the accompanying tribute photos. District 1- a pair of 8's, Clove got a 9, which was not surprising, and of course Cato got a 10. For Luctra it was almost part of a permanent Hunger Games script, that is District 2 having superior scores. Next were a 5 and 7 for District 3. Dash's image came up and a 6 flashed on the screen. Not bad, but not great. Then her photo came up on the screen. Gem had been right, again. Her press photo, which was accompanying her score and any other stat screens while she was in the games, was fierce. The high pony tail made her look like a huntress, with her broad shoulders and defined biceps showing off power.

"Distict 4, Tribute Luctra." Caesar said as her image covered the screen. She held her breath. A 10 flashed on the screen beside her image. Luctra wasn't overly shocked. She didn't have the skill set of Cato, but she had shown a brutal skill to the Gamemakers that made her look like a cold, malicious, sadistic killer. Their favorite type.

"CONGRATULATIONS! That's fanastic!" Petal cheered getting up to give Luctra a hug. Accepting the hug Luctra was glad Petal would never see what she had done to get that score.

"This will really lock in those sponsors who were one the fence." Gem congratulated. The screen changed and the next tribute was shown. They all quietly waited as each score came across. Nothing surprising as scores ranged from 4-8 until Thresh got a 10, making it three tributes with scores higher than nine, which was highly rare in the games. Then the girl from 12 came on.

"Holy shit." Finnick said astonished. Katniss, the Girl on Fire had scored an 11. In the history of the games no one had EVER scored higher than 10.

"She must be really good at something…" Dash concluded. He hadn't seen her do anything that impressive at the training center so she must have a super-secret talent.

"The danger is that we have no clue what it is…" Luctra whispered concerned. She hadn't even included Katniss in her list of serious threats, partly because of the understanding with Peeta, and secondly she didn't really showcase anything special at training. Not wanting to talk anymore Luctra got up and headed for bed. She tussled Dash's hair as she went by him. The reality of the situation didn't hit her till she was lying in bed and everything around her was silent.

"I could die tomorrow." She spoke softly into the darkness.

* * *

AN: AGAIN REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

Much luv,

Rayn


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: Thank you for those of you that reviewed. I almost got 10, but I was so excited to get them into the arena I posted it early! I have heard your opinions and the results are below! Please continue to review so that you get to have a say in what happens. I actually listen to my reviewers comments or request because as much as I love writing, this story is for you!

Thank you for the reviews! They are much appreciated and you are all much loved for it.

**Now I know that a lot of people now simply add stories to their alerts of favourites, but I am an old school fanfic user and writer and I WANT FEEDBACK! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

Now into the arena they go!

Chapter Seven:

So it Begins

It still felt like a dream. Like she would wake up at any moment and be back in her bed stalling till the last minute until she had to get ready for work. The techie woman came up to Luctra and injected Luctra with her distinct tracking device. Luctra didn't even flinch, her mind not willing to register the signs that this was real. That she was really going into the Hunger Games…and she was really going to die.

Cato looked to the seat next him. She wasn't even blinking, or responding, not even when the tech put in the tracking device. No, Cato knew that right now Luctra had shut off. Like she had already accepted her death, and it seriously pissed him off. It was the Hunger Games and only the weak accepted their fate and gave up before they even made a stand. He had never thought of her as weak till now.

Luctra could feel him looking at her. She was so numb, so completely out of tune that she actually turned to look at him. Their yes met, cold steal against dull wood. One pair was furious, one pair was finished. Cato stared into her eyes trying to light them with the same fire he had seen yesterday as she took on Glimmer. Luctra looked back trying to find some sort of regret, or compassion, some sign that he had changed his mind. Neither got or saw what they were looking for.

* * *

Gem sat on the couch in the launch room with Luctra. He wished there was something he could say. Nothing would change the fact that he couldn't help her, couldn't stop her from entering the launch tube. He was also for the first time sad, almost upset even. At least with the other tributes he had styled he could have a little hope they may come out alive. But Luctra had made it clear that she would sacrifice everything, including her life to make sure those that she thought were more worthy would win. Gem knew that she never even considered she might be worthy over them. Gem didn't know how to say goodbye, when it was truly goodbye.

"Hey." Luctra called to him softly. "No sad faces." Here she was, he thought, getting ready to be launched and she was worried about him.

"20 SECONDS TO LAUNCH." The voice announced. Luctra got off the couch and faced the launch tube.

Gem knew he had to say something, or he would regret it for the rest of his life.

"Take a stand." He told her quietly. Luctra heard him but said nothing back.

"10 SECONDS TO LAUNCH."

Luctra made her way into the tube, not looking back at Gem. She didn't want her last memories to be of sad faces, faces full of pity. She wanted to remember his face when he had her spin for him before the interviews, or when she had told him he could take the fish costume and ram it up his ass. She also didn't want him to remember her face, the face that she couldn't hide when she crashed back into reality. The face she didn't want him to see was a face of total and complete terror as she heard the tube close behind her. It was real now.

* * *

Luctra's heart was pounding with fear as the steal platform came to a stop. She looked around her. It was a forest arena. It wasn't the worst for her, but it wasn't the best either.

"60, 59, 58, 57…" She searched around madly to see where Dash was among the tributes.  _'SHIT!'_ His launch pad was all the way across the field from her's.

"32, 31, 30, 29…" Luctra's eyes flew around the half ring of tributes.  _'Thank God'_  she prayed silently. Cato was three tributes down from her. She knew he was going to be heading into the centre of the bloodbath, and as long as Dash ran like hell in the other direction he could make it through the bloodbath period of the Games alive.

"15, 14, 13, 12…" She assessed the area in front of the Cornucopia. Things were spread out, getting denser the closer to the metal structure a tribute went. At the mouth of the Cornucopia she saw it. The same ornate hook and carver she had used in the evaluations. The Gamemakers really were sick bastards.

Cato couldn't believe it was time. He was going to become the monster he was expected to be. His connection to humanity, down to the last thread, would be cut.

"4, 3, 2, 1,  **BANG**!" Luctra waited a split second before running off the back of the platform. She didn't want to risk having to cut in front of someone, since she was going to be running the outer ring of the tribute launch pads because Dash was so far away. She ran past two pads and then cut down between second and third pad from hers.

She was far enough behind the other tributes that she wouldn't be engaged by one them. She could choose a route that would allow her to pick up something, anything on her way to the forest behind Dash's pad, where he should have run into the moment the buzzer went off. She looked around as she ran, it was complete chaos but she focused on the ground around her and picked her target. Straight to the left of her path was an unclaimed backpack with tributes far enough away to make it plausible. She sprinted hard and snatched the bag as she went by. She pushed her legs as hard as they would go towards where Dash's pad was, dodging tributes that were engaged in fights and throwing the pack on her back to protect her from any weapons that could be thrown at her from behind. However as she ran she spotted an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

* * *

Cato was deep into the bloodbath killing tributes like they were nothing but practice dummies. After killing the last one that he had engaged he took a quick look around assessing for the next threat, or target. Then he saw Luctra a good distance from him flying as fast as her feet would take her. Then he saw her veer slightly. Cato realized Luctra was heading right for Glimmer who had chased a tribute too far away from the rest of the Careers.

* * *

The idea of taking on Glimmer seemed to push Luctra even faster. The dumbass has moved to far from the Cornucopia to call for help from the other Careers. Glimmer also had her back turned as she toyed around with the tribute on the ground. Luctra recalled the girl on the ground as being from District 6. Glimmer was so busy torturing the girl that she wasn't paying attention to anything else.

There was a bonus too. As if getting to take out Glimmer wasn't sweet enough Glimmer was wielding a short sword and had a quiver of arrows on her back, the bow lying a few feet from where she was torturing 6. Getting to Glimmer Luctra threw all her body weight forward and rammed into Glimmer from behind sending Glimmer flying, the quiver coming off in the process. Luctra followed the hit through and landed a few feet away from Glimmer. The sword flew out of Glimmer's hand from the unexpected shock of the impact. It landed a few feet above where the girls landed. Glimmer gathered her senses and dove for the sword at the same time as Luctra. Glimmer got her hand on the hilt first, but in seeing that Glimmer was going to beat her to it Luctra had switched her direction, slamming her fist into Glimmer's nose instead. Hearing the satisfying sound of bone breaking Luctra smiled to herself.

"AHHHHHHH!" Glimmer shrieked covering her face. Just as Luctra had told Finnick Glimmer's vanity took priority over her fighting and Glimmer's hand had released from the hilt of the sword as she covered her mangled nose.

"LUCTRA!"

Luctra heard Dash yell her name. He shouldn't be close enough for her to hear him. Looking up she saw he was running towards her, only a few feet away. She didn't have time to get mad at him, or think about the danger, she just knew that he had to get out of here.

"DASH GRAB THE BOW AND ARROWS AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" She ordered him panicked. He needed to get out of here before the Careers killed everyone at the Cornucopia and came running to help Glimmer. Dash heard the urgency in Luctra's voice and noticed that she had control of the sword so he did what she instructed him to do. Spotting the bow and the arrows only a few feet apart he swiftly ran to them, picked them up, and then ran towards the forest.

Seeing Dash heading for the forest Luctra stood up quickly grasping the sword in her hand. Glimmer had moved a few feet away from her and was bent over cupping her face as her hands filled with blood from her nose. Just as Luctra took her third step towards Glimmer she heard it.

"LUC'S!"

She heard Dash scream in fear. Luctra whipped around and saw her worst fear. There on the edge of the forest Dash was being attacked by the boy from District 7. The boy from 7 had knocked Dash to the ground and was jumping on him when Dash screamed for her. Forgetting all about Glimmer Luctra bolted towards Dash. From what Luctra could see the boy from 7 and a small weapon, probably a knife.

* * *

Dash was using both his hands to prevent the boy from driving the knife into his body. Dash wasn't strong enough to stop the knife completely but he did manage to deflect it forcing the knife to plunge into his upper arm instead of his chest.

"AHHHHHH!" Dash screamed as the knife drove into his flesh. His one arm now weak he felt the boy pull the knife from his arm and watched him bring it up over his head.

* * *

As she passed by the body of the girl from 6 Luctra spotted a backpack next to her, probably the one the girl had picked up then tried to flee with. Using her free hand Luctra snatched up the pack with a purpose as she ran by it, never breaking stride in the process. She knew she wouldn't get to Dash in time but she had an idea.

At the same moment that the knife plunged into Dash's arm Luctra had hurled the extra pack towards the boys. It wouldn't do any damage but it would give her time.

* * *

Dash watched the boy raise the knife again and then ' **BAM'**  a backpack flew into them startling the boy from 7 and knocking the boy sideways. Just as the boy was scrambling up Luctra made it to Dash's side.

Luctra watched as the boy from 7 lunged at Dash again, knife in his hand poised to strike. Using the sword she swung out at the boy cutting off his hand that held the knife in one swipe. The boy screamed in agony. Both Dash and Luctra looked at the boy writhing in pain on the forest floor, blood pouring out of his arm. For a moment both remained stunned into shock at the sight.

Snapping out of her shock Luctra grabbed Dash's good arm and hauled him to his feet. "We need to leave now!"

"We can't leave him like this." Dash said his voice full of guilt. Luctra knew there was no way the boy from 7 could survive with a wound like that. They both knew it was too cruel to leave the boy there just to bleed to death.

"Get running. I'll end it." She told Dash. He nodded and began running into the woods, picking up the backpack Luctra had chucked on his way.

Walking up to him, Luctra looked down at the boy at her feet who was crying.

"Make it stop." The boy desperately begged her. Luctra felt tears come to her eyes.  _'Why didn't you just run?'_  She asked in her head as she crouched down beside the boy. She tenderly brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"I'm sorry." She comforted him, her face sincere. She didn't want the boy to have the last thing he saw be a snarling or sadistically happy face. The boy nodded to her and closed his eyes. She wanted him to know that she truly regretted and took no pleasure in this. "Forgive me." She asked out loud staring at the sky as she swiftly drove her sword into his heart. She never saw the boy nod his head again at her words final words to him.

"Be at peace now." She whispered still staring at the sky, like she was wishing his spirit well as it flew to heaven.

Pulling the sword out Luctra dove into the woods never looking back. If she had she would have seen Cato looking on.

* * *

Cato turned from where Luctra had disappeared into the forest and looked around at all the blood and bodies littering the field. "We need to move out and let them come in to get the bodies." He ordered the surviving Careers. They all gathered their choice weapons, a few things to eat and headed into the bushes. Cato made sure it was in the opposite direction he had seen Luctra go.

"Nice face Princess." Clove snickered once they had stopped in a clearing not far from the Cornucopia. Cato looked up seeing Glimmer for the first time since he had seen Luctra take her down like a sledge hammer through limestone. He laughed out loud.

"It's not fucking funny!" Glimmer squealed, though it was highly nasal.

"Your eyes are going black and blue. Like a raccoon." Marvel chimed in. Cato could tell that Glimmer's nose was broken, but to hell if he was going to be the one to reset it.

"Jealous bitch had to go for my face first." Glimmer whined. She had blood all down the front of her face and clothing, her hair was a mess and her nose was completely crooked.

Clove thought Glimmer looked like shit, Marvel told Glimmer she looked like shit, and Cato really didn't give a shit.

* * *

Luctra pumped her arms hard. As she ran she heard them. Cannons. Not stopping Luctra counted the cannon shots. Nine tributes had died at the bloodbath today.  _'Not as many as normal…'._ Luctra figured it was because of two things. One, more tributes had decided to just head straight for the forest because it was plausible to survive on what was in the forest and two, the tributes that had gone into the Cornucopia put up a decent fight delaying the Careers. After 10 minutes of running Luctra had caught up to Dash. They had put some good distance between themselves and the Careers but pushed on. They needed as much distance and possible. Soon though Dash started to falter. Slowing down and then coming to a stop Luctra examined the area around them. Hearing and seeing no threats she guided Dash to a tree and straddled an exposed root. Luctra stabbed the sword into the ground beside her, leaving it standing up, ready at a moment's notice.

"Let me see that shoulder." She asked him gently as she caught her breath. Sitting on the root in front of her Dash put down the bag he had grabbed. He then removed the bow and quiver he had thrown on as he started to run away from Luctra and Glimmer. Luctra carefully pulled his coat back to expose the wound.

"You're lucky." She stated looking at the wound. "He only got the muscle on the side of your bicep. But we need to stop the bleeding."

Luctra pulled the backpack off her back and opened it up. Inside she found a small pot, night goggles, sleeping bag, duct tape, 4 protein bars, two packs of soup and a flint. Grabbing the backpack Dash and been smart enough to pick up she began to look through that one. It had a canteen with a water purifier, flare gun  _'Who the fuck would use a freaking flare gun?'_ She brought up the mental image of shooting Glimmer with a flare gun and snorted. As she kept rifling through the bag she found a dagger, beef jerky, a pair socks and iodine.

"I'm sorry Luc's." Dash whimpered. Luctra looked up from the bag.

"Hey your arm's going to be fine. Not your fault." Luctra said soothingly. She helped dash pull off his coat and remove his injured arm from his t-shirt.

"I shouldn't have come to you…" He started to say looking at her with guilt ridden eyes.

"Hey. Don't worry about it. You saw I might be in trouble. Plus, now Glimmer has to walk around with a messed up face!" She chuckled trying to cheer him up. Dash looked at her and smiled a small smile.

"She'll probably get make-up from her sponsors." Dash added smiling a bit more. Luctra laughed quietly, scared to make too much noise.

"Nah. It's probably way more entertaining to watch her bitch about it." Luctra commented and Dash smiled a full smile.  _'Wonder if she'll drive the Careers nuts? '_ Luctra pondered. She hoped Glimmer irritated the crap out of them, maybe enough for them to kill her just to shut her up.

* * *

"Glimmer you bitch about your face ONE MORE TIME and I'm going to cut out your tongue." Clove threatened an hour later wave a knife at her. Back at the Cornucopia the Careers were sorting through things, waiting for night to come so they could hunt. Glimmer glared at Clove.

"Oh no Clove the raccoon is angry! Hide your garbage!" Marvel warned dramatically, slamming the lid of one of the containers and standing with his spear at the ready like it contained said garbage. Cato let out a small chuckle while he searched through a container that contained medical supplies. Marvel may be a killer and a Career but Cato had to give the kid credit, he was fucking hilarious.

"Marvel you're an asshole! What are my sponsors going to think? I am going to torture that  **OW!"** Glimmer shouted. Cato had had enough of her ranting and was storming up to her to tell her to shut up when she began to say the last part. Not wanting to hear it, and yes to cause her some pain Cato grabbed her nose between his thumbs and snapped it into place. He took satisfaction at seeing her eyes fill with tears.

"There I fixed it. Happy?" He said coldly daring her to get angry with him. Glimmer may have been in more pain but she wasn't completely stupid.

"Th-aa—nks Cato." She stuttered.

"Good." He said just as coldly. "Get ready. It's almost hunting time."

* * *

"There. How's that feel?" Luctra asked Dash as she finished taping his arm. She had cleaned it with iodine, after that since it was still bleeding she padded it with one of the socks to help it clot and then taped the whole thing up. Not the best bandage, but it would do. At least Dash could still use his arm, and the duct tape was strong so it would prevent Dash from flexing too hard.

"It hurts still, but it feels like the bleeding is stopping." Dash confessed. He knew Luctra would know right away if he lied and said it was fine.

"Ok. Well we need to find hiding for the night. The Careers always hunt during the first night." Luctra warned as the light began to fade in the artificial dome. Looking around she took in their options. They had about 45 minutes of light left. Not enough time to search out a place. They would have to take to the trees.

"We're going to have to hide in the trees." Dash said to her. He was worried about that though. While he could climb anything, Luctra wasn't as good. And she wouldn't be able to go up as high as him because the branches would be thinner. Looking at Dash Luctra knew what he was thinking.

"I'll be able to get high enough." She reasoned. Nodding Dash looked at the choice of trees. Picking the one with the biggest base because it would have stronger branches higher up he began to climb. Knowing that Dash was better at this then her Luctra never once questioned or asked him to explain his choice. She watched him climb up never asking him about being able to do it with his wounded arm. The kid already felt guilty about the injury and she didn't need him feeling like he was a burden to her.

 _'He could probably climb the damn tree with just his teeth!'_  she thought slightly jealous as Dash scaled the tree like a monkey. She was pretty sure that she looked like an idiot when she climbed. Luctra was able to get a good 4 stories up, while Dash went about 6.

"We don't have any rope." Dash worried settling on his branch.

"I hadn't thought about that." Luctra admitted. It was risky to sleep in the trees without something holding them to the branch.

"What about using the tape?" Dash suggested. Luctra thought about it. Really it wouldn't help her at all. If she started to tip the tape would just rip under the stress, but Dash was light enough that it would probably stop him.

"Yeah that'll work for you." She agreed opening her pack, which she had poked two holes through with the sword so the sword had a mock scabbard of sorts where it was currently secured. Finding the tape and holding it up over her head Dash came down and grabbed it from her outstretched hand. When she didn't hear him climbing back up she looked up to see him sitting on the branch it above her.

"What?" She asked.

"What about you?" Dash replied concerned.

"My branch is pretty thick and kinda flat. It'll be like sleeping on a shelf." She said confidently. She needed him to think that she had no worries about falling off.

He watched her for a moment before nodding his head and climbing back up. Dash knew what she was saying wasn't completely true, but she had that look in her eyes. The one that meant the topic was closed.

"Don't forget the sleeping bag!" She called up quietly. Dash sent down a quiet 'yeah yeah' before opening the bag on the branch, sitting on it, folding the flaps over his legs without zipping it then wrapped a single band of duct tape around his legs and the branch making sure to leave a flap on the end so he could rip it off and get out quickly. They sat there quietly for a few minutes before the anthem began and the 'Tribute to the Fallen' began. Luctra looked up at the sky, able to see it through an open patch in the leaves and branches. She saw that the girl from 3, the boy from 5, the girl from 6, both from 7, the boy from 8, both from 9, and the girl from 10 had all died in the bloodbath. Again when she saw the face of the boy from 7 she quietly asked for forgiveness.

* * *

Finnick hurried back to the District 4 control room. It was where the people involved with the tributes; mentors, stylists, and escorts, could talk strategy and the mentors could distribute the parachutes from in secrecy. Once back in the control room Finnick hurried to the computer panel and started hitting buttons.

"Did you get it?" Gem asked hurriedly as soon as Finnick had come back into the room. Finnick smiled.

"Didn't even have to leave the hallway." He said tapping the send button on the screen.

* * *

Luctra looked up when she heard the beeping.  _'A parachute already?'_  She knew she had sponsors but she didn't think they, or Finnick, would send something so early. The chute landed on the branch above her with a medium sized pod that had a '4' written on it. Standing up Luctra reached up and took the pod hanging from the chute. Opening it up Luctra found a note and rope. Opening the note Luctra was reluctant to read it.

_The repentant killer. Nice touch._

Luctra ground her teeth, Finnick could go suck balls. She hadn't been asking for forgiveness as a show. She truly was asking whatever or whoever it was that was up there, maybe even the spirit of the kid from 7, to forgive her for choosing Dash's life over his. She hoped that whoever back in District 7 that loved him would know that she was sincere.

Unwinding the rope Luctra decided it was big enough to be cut into two pieces. Finding the middle point she cut it in two using her sword since Dash kept the dagger at her insistence. Knowing it wasn't safe to talk she wondered how to get it to Dash. Fortunately he had heard the chute and quietly opened the sleeping bag and climbed down to the branch above her. So when she finished cutting it and looked up she just handed him a piece and smiled. She knew Dash would actually sleep now that he knew she could secure herself to the branch. Sitting down again with her back against the trunk Luctra tied her hips to the branch and ate half of one of the protein bars. She had split them with Dash so she only had 2 and needed to preserve them.

* * *

AN:In the next chappie it's going to be awesome! The rebellion won't happen for a bit but there will be a SERIOUSLY awesome reason that the Capitol allows for a sorta break in the killing. Cato and Luctra will be coming together in the next chapter. In that chapter the foundation and situation for yummy smutty goodness will be starting. But if you are one of those readers that likes the girls to just fall to a guy's feet. Go read another story.

Luv

Rayn


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: Thank you for all your reviews and once again I have taken them all into consideration. Serious Cato/Luctra goodness happens in the next chapter. Right now I am just figuring out the timeline of events outside the games compared to inside the games. Again I can't wait to hear from you and I will wait till enough reviews come in that I am happy that I am heading in the way the story should!

**Now I know that a lot of people now simply add stories to their alerts of favourites, but I am an old school fanfic user and writer and I WANT FEEDBACK! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

Enjoy!

Chapter Eight:

One Fall, Two Fall, Everyone over the waterfall!

Cato really couldn't believe two things right now. One, that the girl from 8 had really been that stupid. When he had seen the shimmering light Cato thought it had to be a trick.  _'No one can be that dumb.'_  But apparently she was and the girl from 8 had started a fire. At night. In the dark. In the Hunger Games. When she had begged him for her life he had been thrown a little. At the bloodbath it had been fight or die. But here, this was an execution. He had claimed the kill, knowing Glimmer would draw it out, Marvel didn't want it and Clove would make it torturous for the cameras. So he had sliced the girl in the stomach and told everyone to search her stuff for anything good. When they found nothing they moved on. Which is where the second disbelief came from. Lover boy was with them. As an ally.

"Look she's dead." Cato argued when they had traveled away from the girl's camp. They hadn't heard the cannon go off.

"I'll go back and see." Peeta offered. Rolling his eyes Cato nodded watching as Peeta ran into the woods and headed back to 8's body.

"Why don't we just kill him now?" Clove groaned. She didn't get why they needed Lover Boy. Sure the Alliance was smaller this year but Peeta was loyal to the Girl on Fire.

"We need him to find her." Clipped Cato. He didn't like being questioned and Clove knew that. But she did it anyway. Just then the cannon went off. Clove raised an eyebrow at him. Peeta came back a minute later.

"She wasn't dead but she is now." Peeta informed them. Cato knew it was true since there was blood on the end of Lover Boy's spear. Cato growled and stomped into the woods, choosing to ignore Marvel's "Swing and a miss" comment. The other Careers and Lover Boy followed him as they moved deeper into the arena.

* * *

Luctra and Dash had slept through most of the morning. The adrenaline of the bloodbath and terror of actually being in the Hunger Games zapping their energy. It wasn't until Luctra had heard a beeping sound that she woke up with a start. Taking off the night goggles, which she had worn while she slept, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Continuing to hear the beeping Luctra looked up to see a parachute heading for Dash.

"Dash you awake?" Luctra whispered as she untied the rope at her hips.

"Yup." Dash said in a hushed voice. He had actually been up for a while and took the time to climb all the way the tree and scout the arena. To him the arena seemed bigger than normal. Not far from them there was a gorge that had been cut by a raging river which probably ran right through the arena dropping into a little lake or something. He was happy to have found a water source. The arena was mostly forest but there was a wheat field too, though he was pretty sure that's the direction Thresh had gone in so he would make sure they avoided it. He was so high up he barely heard Luctra, or the beeping. He wondered what they were getting since they had already gotten rope last night.

Seeing him coming down the tree Luctra smiled. "You got a chute."

Dash scurried down to his branch which now had a parachute with a medium small pod attached. He eagerly opened the pod to find a steaming bowl of oatmeal and a note.

_The ladies don't want you getting thin._

"What did you get?" Luctra asked as she packed the rope into her bag. Thankful again that the bag was black.

"Oatmeal. With chocolate chips!" Whispered Dash excitedly. He closed the lid on the container with the oatmeal and careful climbed down to Luctra's branch careful not to drop his gift. Luctra smiled and shook her head. Dash was climbing down, oatmeal in one hand and the spoon stuck in his mouth. She momentarily flashed back to when she had seen Finnick with the toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. She quickly pushed the image away. Luctra was sitting with her back on the trunk a leg hanging over each side. Dash landed on her branch which was quite thick and sat in front of her but sideways, both legs over one side of the branch so they could talk and look at each other.

"Eat it all up Dash. That's pure energy right there." Luctra said like when her mom told her to each her seaweed salad. She hated seaweed salad. Dash rolled his eyes but opened the container and happily dug into the meal. Almost halfway through the bowl Dash stopped and looked at Luctra who was watching the forest floor for signs of, well, anything.

"You need to have some." Dash told her holding the bowl out to her. Luctra shook her head.

"I had part of a protein bar last night." She told him turning down his offer.

"That's not enough." He argued still holding the bowl out to her.

"No really. I'm fine. Finish it up before it get's cold." She said waving her hand for him to take it back. Dash got a look on his face she had never seen before.

"Eat some or I drop it." He threatened. Luctra couldn't believe it. The kid was serious. Sighing she took the container from him. Picking up the spoon she ate about 2/3 of what was left and gave the bowl back to Dash. It was really good oatmeal and who knew when they would get another hot meal.

"Was there a note?" She asked as she watched Dash literally lick the bowl clean. Wordlessly he dug into his pocket and handed it to her. Reading it Luctra laughed. She looked back up at Dash once she finished.

"Unless you're planning on trying to lick the taste out of the plastic we should start moving." She teased. Dash looked up and glared at her. Luctra smiled bigger reaching out and wiping off a stray piece of oatmeal off his chin. Shrugging her hand off like an annoyed child Dash got up and climbed up the tree to pack up his things, including the oatmeal container and spoon.

* * *

Cato woke up late into the afternoon. They had only managed to find the one tribute last night. Part of him was irritated, while the other part was driving him insane thinking about the girl from 8. The fear in her eyes, the desperation, had gotten to him. It's why his stoke hadn't been strong or deep enough to kill her instantly. The Capitol probably saw it as him wanting the girl to die painfully slow, but he knew the truth. He didn't want to be an executioner and his body had chosen to blow the kill because of that.

Getting up from his sleeping bag Cato made his was over to where Clove and Marvel were making something to eat over a camping cook top. Looking into the pan Cato saw scrambled eggs with whatever else they had apparently found and thought would be good. They both looked up as they heard him approach.

"When do you want to leave?" Marvel asked him as Cato scoped some of the scramble onto a plate for himself. Straightening up Cato took a fork full in his mouth while he thought.

"After we finish this. Most of the ones left aren't dumb enough to move around at night." Cato concluded. No the ones left would be moving around during the daylight and crawling into a hole at night. Thinking it was safer.

* * *

"And there's a wheat field in that direction, but I saw Thresh heading that way during the bloodbath." Dash finished. Dash was just finishing filling Luctra in on the layout of the arena and who he saw go in which direction. They were on their way to the river.

"Ok so we're going to avoid the Cornucopia and wheat field. Got it." Luctra affirmed. Luctra walked with her sword at the ready. The only people that were really a threat to her were Thresh, who she could avoid by staying away from the wheat field, Katniss, who she was sure was at the top of the Careers shit list so Katniss had her own survival to worry about, and of course. Cato and Clove. Clove she could take down as long as Luctra didn't give her enough distance to throw a knife. But Cato was another story. While she could probably prolong the fight she knew she couldn't win it, unless Cato was seriously hurt or sick. She could only hope it wouldn't come to a one on one fight. Suddenly she stopped mid step.

' _Speak of the devil and he shall appear.'_  Luctra's head snapped to Dash at the same time he looked at her. Luctra ripped off her backpack and shoved it into Dash's arms.

"Get out of here now. Find Rue!" She said to Dash through clinched teeth. Dash looked scared. He could hear it too. But he was about to argue with her and Luctra could tell. She had to play the only card she had to get to him to leave.

"If you stay I won't be able to focus on fighting." She whispered angrily to him. Dash knew what she was saying was true as much as he hated it. They had a better shot if they split up. She shoved Dash in the direction she wanted him to run, which was to the left of their location compared to the source of the noise.

"Promise I'll find you later." Dash demanded before he would go.

"I'm like a barnacle. It's a bitch to get rid of me." She said to him. He nodded and took off. Luctra was thankful he was so light on his feet. They wouldn't hear him.

They of course being the Careers who by the sound of it were heading straight for her.

She needed to give Dash time to get away. They were getting close, but from the sounds of the rustling bushes and crunching of their feet they were walking. Luctra shot straight behind her into the trees being as quiet as she could. Once she felt she was far, but not too far she did it. Picking up a decent sized branch she broke it, shouted "SHIT" like it was an accident and ran like the wind heading straight for the rushing river.

* * *

"I don't think we're going to run into…" Glimmer started.

A branch broke followed by a loud shout of "SHIT" from somewhere in the distance right in front of them. Marvel smiled.

"See Glimmer. God is telling you to stop trying to think." He mocked. Clove smiled.

"It's time to hunt." Clove said eagerly darting forward in the direction the sound had come from. Cato followed close behind her. He knew that voice and he had a point to prove to its owner.

* * *

Luctra could hear them crashing through the forest behind her. She broke through the treeline only to find to her horror that it was a dead end. She ran up and skidded to a stop at the edge of the cliff. Below her was raging rapids. If she jumped they could just turn and go for Dash, she needed to delay them as long as possible. She crouched down sideways bringing her chest to her knee but angled her upper body towards the woods, the sword at the ready in front of her. She needed to make the target for long rang and throwing weapons small, and protect the areas where if she did get hit, wouldn't cause her to die instantly. Her heart was pounding as she waited.

* * *

Cato had overtaken Clove and crashed through the treeline first. There she was. Crouched down at the edge of the cliff about 10 meters from him. He gave her credit, she was smart. They would have to get right up to her if the others wanted to kill her, which Cato wasn't sure he could prevent. He stared into her eyes and smiled to himself. The fire was back in them. Luctra's heart pounded hard in her chest. He was right in front of her. Not long after he got there Clove, Marvel, Peeta and finally Glimmer came crashing through the bushes. Luctra grinned.

"You look like a raccoon." Luctra called to Glimmer. Marvel laughed so loudly she was sure Thresh could hear it all the way in the wheat field and Glimmer began to turn red which made her look even worse.

"FUCK YOU!" Glimmer snarled back angrily. Luctra noticed Glimmer had the ornate carver in her hand.  _'At least I don't have to worry about a bow.'_

"Sorry honey you're not my type." Apologized Luctra seriously. The five Careers were fanned out making a half moon in front of her just at the treeline, cutting off any chance of running. Peeta tried to smother his laughter by biting the inside of his lip.

"Oh you wish!" Glimmer cried stomping her foot.

"Uhh...actually I don't." Luctra replied her face scrunching up like something smelled bad, looking appalled at the thought of sleeping with Glimmer. Luctra's knee was cramping a bit. Luctra knew if she could keep the argument going she could keep buying Dash more time.

"Well…you're…ugghh…well…you're fat." Glimmer finished lamely. Luctra looked at her with disbelief. She noticed that Cato, Clove and Marvel were all looking at Glimmer the same way, disbelief and anger. Glimmer was embarrassing herself and their alliance. Peeta was happy though, the longer they were here the less likely they were to catch Katniss. Cato wanted to rub his temples he was getting so irritated. To him, and probably the whole of the Panem, calling Luctra fat was the same as telling him that he was too tall. It was just plain stupid.

"Seriously. That's where you go? Ok I guess that means I should make fun of your momma…" Luctra said pretending to think. Glimmer went to say something but was instantly cut off by Clove.

"Don't say another word." Clove warned her pointing a knife at Glimmer. Glimmer huffed but kept quiet, looking to Marvel to back her up.

"You're an idiot." He told her point-blank. Luctra kept quiet hoping they would start to bicker amongst themselves and burn up more time. That hope was soon dashed.

"All of you shut the fuck up." Cato told them angrily and they instantly did. Cato was starting to think he should just push Glimmer off the cliff a save himself from future head aches.

"No don't this is so entertaining." Luctra pleaded happily to Cato. He looked at Luctra and glared, but not the same glare as he had sent to Glimmer. This was more of a 'piss off you're not helping' glare.

"You know what would entertain me?" Glimmer shouted. "If you just threw yourself off the cliff." Luctra smiled, enough time had passed. Cato saw the smile and was already dropping his sword.

"That's not a bad idea." Luctra said leaning onto her back foot and quickly rotating to face the cliff throwing her weight forward as she lunged over the edge. Her body flew downwards and slammed into the freezing water. From the shock her hand let of of her sword and it fell into the icy depth below as the current violent churned her down the river.

* * *

"FIND FIRE GIRL!" Cato bellowed as he ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped. He wasn't really thinking when he did it, but to the Capitol it looked like Cato was just not going to let his prey get away from him like that. He hit the cold water with a splash. The current was really strong but he was a strong swimmer. But that didn't mean he would make it through unscathed.

* * *

Luctra swam hard but the current was tossing her body around like a rag doll. She focused on fighting to keep her head above water. She screamed, her mouth filling with water as her leg scraped against a jagged edge of rock under the surface. It was so cold she didn't really feel it after the initial pain, but that didn't mean it wasn't bad. She felt the current slowdown a bit and the rapids flatten out. She knew that was a bad sign. It meant there was a waterfall up ahead and she was too far away from the shore to get to it before the river dropped into the falls. The irony of being from Disrtict 4 and drowning did not escape Luctra.

* * *

Cato fought the rapids but still got slammed into a few boulders. When the current slowed and the rapids flattened out he could make her out, just a few yards ahead of him.  _'Gotcha'_  He thought smugly. Then he heard it. The roaring sound of water crashing to the ground.  _'Fuck.'_  He thought as current picked up and he was dragged over the falls not too long after Luctra had gone over.

* * *

Luctra sent up a small prayer of gratitude as she landed in the water at the base of the falls, being violently pummeled down by the falling water. The Gamemakers hadn't put any rocks at the base of the falls, if they had she'd be dead. Knowing not to fight the water she let the falls churn her around until it spit her out in the calmer basin. She kicked and stroked hard to get to the surface. She took in a huge gulp of air as she broke through the surface.

She assessed the area around her and picked the bank that had some rocks protecting it from the woods. She could get out of the water there without worrying about being attacked from the forest. She swam over and dragged her body onto the pebbles too exhausted to try and sit up. At least she had survived. Suddenly she heard someone sputtering and cursing from the basin. She shot up, her stomach muscles protesting, to see what it was.

"No…" She breathed out horrified scooting herself backwards with her arms until she hit the rocks, which now prevented her from scooting into the forest.

* * *

Cato felt like he had been hit with a sledgehammer while being churned in a water washer, like the ones used to break stone and polish up the weapons in his district. When he hit the water at the base of the waterfall he thought the same thing as Luctra. At least there were no boulders at the base of it. He fought the churning water, his arms burning with exhaustion and swam out into the basin underwater. He coughed out some water and let out a string of cusses when he broke through the surface. He was tired, really tired.

* * *

Luctra couldn't believe it. Cato had followed her off the cliff. He was either completely insane or his dedication to get her to admit to him he was the best choice was on a level she didn't think was sane. She knew she had to make a run for it. He was tired and so was she so if she could just get to the forest…she almost let out a cry of pain. As she had tried to slowly put weight on her legs to get up she felt pain sear up the right one running from the hip wrapping around to just above the junction of her knee at the back and then radiating through her whole leg. She had been sliced by the rock a lot worse then she thought. She was a sitting duck. She had failed.

* * *

Cato wiped some of the water off his face. Starting at one side of the falls Cato scanned the area around the basin in a continuous circle while he tried to figure out where he was, but more importantly to see where Luctra had gone. The he saw her on the shore, on the opposite side of the water fall from where he started looking. She was sitting there, not moving, staring at the sky. He smirked and started swimming over to her.  _'Now I gotcha.'_  He declared happily to himself. _  
_

Luctra heard him coming. She kept her eyes on the sky. Not willing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her misery. She felt the same way she had as on the hovercraft coming to the arena. Numb, disillusioned, and hopeless to stop what was about to happen. Her eyes dulled out.

Cato walked out of the water to stand at Luctra's feet. Luctra could tell from what she heard that he hadn't taken the same beating she had on the wild ride down and over the falls. That or he just took it better since he was still able to stand and walk. Cato noticed she was still looking at the sky, but he knew she had heard him walk up to her. He waited a few seconds till he realized she wasn't going to acknowledge his presence. Kneeling down he put a hand on her right thigh to shake her. Luctra was startled by the hand on her thigh. When the wave of pain followed Luctra hissed and her hand shot out to grab Cato's when he put pressure on her injury. She couldn't stop herself from looking at him in the process, to see if he took pleasure in hearing her in pain.

Cato was surprised when she hissed in pain and grabbed his hand.

"What the…" Cato said lifting his hand and looked down to where it had been. He saw her pants were shredded on that leg, the khaki color now starting to get a little red. She was bleeding. Pulling back part of the ripped material while Luctra still held his wrist Cato revealed the massive gash on her leg. It went down the front, and from what he could tell wrapped around the back.

"That has to hurt." He said laughing lightly looking up at Luctra's face. She had that same dull look in her eyes that he had seen on the hovercraft. She didn't respond to him, but she was still holding his wrist. Cato had to get a rise out of her, bring the electricity back to her eyes.

"Funny how he left you to face the 4 Careers alone." He said mockingly. "Well the 4 Careers and Lover Boy." He said as an after thought. Again Luctra said nothing deciding to return her gaze to the sky. Cato tried again.

"Funny how he left you there to die." Cato said smoothly. He felt her grip tighten a little on his wrist. He knew he was on the right track now.

"You probably mean nothing to him. More of a hindrance then a help." Cato finished smugly. Luctra snapped her eyes down to him. They weren't as vibrant as he had seen in the Capitol, but they were more alive then they had been seconds ago. And they were glaring at him.

"I mean more to him then you will ever mean to anyone." Luctra snarled. Cato's face lost all the smugness and was replaced with anger. He snatched his wrist from her. Placing his hand on his knees he visually examined the rest of her body for any visible injuries before looking back into her eyes.

"You'll be nothing but a flickering memory to him." He told her coldly.

"At least he'll remember I loved him. That's enough for me." She said fiercely. She had accepted she had failed, but she wasn't going to let Dash's or anyone that loved either of them think for a moment that her love for Dash and vice versa had not been real.

"Well it's not for me." Cato said darkly. Luctra wasn't exactly sure what Cato meant. She would probably never know. Pushing off his knees Cato looked around again.

"There has to be decent shelter around here." He stated his eyes flicking over the surrounding landscape.

Luctra was almost positive now. Cato was bat shit crazy.

"I'm not bat shit crazy." He replied still looking around. She hadn't realized she was talking out loud when she said it. She had no clue what was going on but if Cato was preoccupied with shelter then he wasn't preoccupied with killing her. And that was just fine with her.

"Hmmm….I wonder…" Cato said thinking aloud while looking at the waterfall. If this was like one of those romantic action films then there would be a cave behind the falls. Maybe placed there by the Gamemakers for Lover Boy and Fire Girl. Knowing that Luctra couldn't move he went to check it out.

Luctra was now dead sure that Cato was insane. She stared at Cato's back as he walked away in disbelief. He was just leaving her here. Probably hoping she would bleed out or die of infection. But hopefully after he was gone Finnick would have her sponsors send her some disinfectant, or fancy medicine from the Capitol. She started to get up using the rock behind her to push herself up onto her good leg. It was slow and painful but she managed to get up, putting all her weight on her good leg. Turning around she grabbed the top of the rock and began pulling herself up.

Cato made it to the side of the waterfall. There was a small ledge, big enough for one person, leading right behind the cascading water. Treading up the path carefully but still managing to get re-soaked Cato made it behind the water and found what was he was looking for. There was a medium sized cave behind the waterfall which was dry and out of the wind. Interestingly enough the reason it was dry was that there was a large stone protruding out above the cave deflecting the water away.  _'How did we both not hit that?'_ He thought amazed.

* * *

Luctra had managed to drag herself over the rocks and had just hobbled on one leg into the forest when a hand slammed into the back of her right shoulder blade sending her sprawling on her face. She couldn't stop the low scream of pain that slipped out of her lips as her bad leg hit the ground.

"You know you're useless right now, right?" Cato was standing behind where she was now sprawled. Luctra bit into her lip as the pain electrified her leg. She slowly rolled onto her side with her bad leg now resting on her good leg. Her pants had been ripped more exposing the wound.

"And now you have dirt in your leg." Cato told her like he was talking to a small child.

"Right because THAT'S my biggest issue right now." Luctra bit out through the pain. He really was an ass.

"No the biggest issue right now is freezing to death from being cold and wet." He retorted.

"Well then just get lost!" Luctra shouted now glaring at him. Cato laughed at her.

"Why when I just found you Goddess? " He mocked her Capitol nickname. The leaves crunched as Cato walked up to her, her eyes stubborn but betraying a little bit of fear. Once Cato got to her he reached down, grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. Luctra was shocked and unable to balance so she ended up crashing right into his chest. Cato let out a small grunt as his arms wrapped around her reflexively from crashing into him. Cato had been prepared for her to fall into him, he'd actually was eager for it to happen. It meant she was unstable and would have to rely on him

"Well at least the river kicked your ass too." She said smugly noticing how he flinched a little when she landed into his chest. She was close to him again. Too close. She could feel his warm breath on her face. She didn't have the energy to push him away or even stiffen up like she normally would in a position like this.

"We're getting out of here before I decide to go back and throw you off the cliff so it can kick your ass again." Cato told her. Luctra gave him the look that he now dubbed the 'you're-bat-shit-crazy' look because it was a safe guess that that's exactly what she was thinking.

' _He's bat shit crazy. Did he just say we?'_  Luctra started to trying pull away from him when a thought dawned on her.

"Oh my God your taking me back to Glimmer aren't you?" She said horrified. The last thing she wanted was to be killed by the raccoon bitch. Now Cato looked at her like she was crazy. Cato swung Luctra into his arms bridal style, since carrying her any other way would hurt her leg further. Luctra let out a small shocked squeal and tried to put distances between their bodies. It didn't work, her side was pressed against his chest which she hoped was padded under his jacket and shirt or else he was a lot more firmly muscled then she had originally thought.

"No because that would mean I would have to go back to Glimmer." Cato told her drawing out the 'I', like it was the worst thing that could happen to him right now. And for Cato it would be.

"Worried she's going to give you Rabies?" Luctra noticed Cato was carrying her back to where she had first come ashore.

"Enough with the raccoon jokes, you're almost as bad as Marvel." Cato scolded her jokingly. He could tell she was trying to push away from his chest, so he just pulled her tighter to it.

"Why? He bang pots together when she was pilfering through the food?" Luctra commented. This whole conversation and situation was completely mind boggling. She wasn't going to be overly friendly but at the same time she wasn't going to piss him off. It was a fine line but walking it right could keep her alive longer. She hoped that as long as she didn't admit Cato was worth more then Dash, Cato wouldn't kill her. She reasoned it had something to do with his pride or ego.

They had reached the path and Cato had to turn so his back was against the rock wall in ordered to fit up the path with Luctra in his arms. This meant that Luctra got sprayed with water when the ledge was thinner. She automatically threw the arm that wasn't against Cato's chest, up around Cato's neck and pulled herself closer to him, trying not to get re-soaked. It didn't work because when they got into the cave she was drenched. Cato laid her on the ground of the cave off to one side.

They could probably fit about 4 people comfortably in the cave Luctra guessed, which meant she wouldn't have to be very close to Cato.

Sitting on his haunches beside Luctra who was laying down flat on the ground looking up at Cato. Cato looked at her right leg without touching it. "It's still bleeding."

"Yeah I can feel it." Luctra replied closing her eyes. Now that she wasn't moving she felt the cold starting to creep into her wet clothes. It wouldn't be long before she was shivering, and then tonight. Well tonight she would be freezing.

"Take your pants off."

Luctra's eyes snapped open and looked straight into Cato's eyes. He was actually serious.

"Uhhh…how about no." She told him hotly lifting her head a little. There was no chance she was taking her clothes off with Cato around. She would rather die first.

"And the jacket and your shirt." He said looking at her at her not even acknowledging her refusal at his command. He was actually dead serious.

All of Luctra's fears about attractive men came crashing back to her full force and what Finnick had done to get her more sponsors sent her into a spiral of fear. She felt all the blood drain out of her face. Her eyes filled with absolute terror. "You brought me here so you could…" Luctra couldn't even say it.

Cato watched all this happen to Luctra wondering what the hell she was thinking and then talking about. Then it hit him. "Oh for fucks sake NO!" He shouted the 'no' in outrage. "For one thing it's against the Hunger Games rules and two, girls fall at my feet. I would never have to resort to that." He was angry she would even think he was capable of that.  _'Like I would ever force a girl to have sex with me.'_

Luctra visibly relaxed the color coming back to her face and her eyes full of contempt before she shut them and put her head on the ground again. "They fall because you knock them to the ground when they try running away from you."

Cato laughed and smiled arrogantly though he knew Luctra wasn't looking.  _'Well you're not that fast a runner Luctra. And I have already knocked you to the ground.'_

* * *

AN: And so it begins. I know that the stuck in cave thing is kinda predictable but when I looked at other options it was really the only one that made sense considering the arena and the plausibility of being protected from other tributes and the forest fire that will take place, like in the books.

Is there anything from the movie or the book that you would like to me to include that wasn't in one or the other? Finding the balance is a tricking thing.

Much luv and I can't wait to hear from you!

Rayn


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

I had to cut Chapter Nine in half because it was way too long for my liking and I wanted to focus more on getting the second half perfect.

AN: As I am writing this for people that have only read the book or have only seen the movie, or have done both. So I am mixing the two together. I do know that in the books the gifts do not chime, but in order for them to know it was there while the waterfall is really loud I used the movie parachutes that beep. Also I know that in the movie there were notes from Haymitch, but not in the book. Therefore I am combining the two so it is legal in the games to send notes as long as they do not give information pertaining to the other tributes, the arena, or strategy. However as you will see there is ways around the latter.

Thank you for the reviews. I have decided to use the Claudius/Caesar studio time to help explain things ie; how the Capitol is reacting, how the Gamemakers are seeing things etc. and it will be vital to the later chapters. They are more then they seem but that is all I will say. Also without the appearance of Marvel there has to be SOME comic relief.

Also a lot of you have been asking/commenting on the two of them figuring out that they were talking about two different people in the elevator. It will be cleared up eventually but for the next bit it's just going to make things worse since both of them are two stubborn to ask the other directly what their problem is with that person, or in Cato's case, why she picked Thresh over him. Since he doesn't want the answer.

Enjoy!

Chapter Nine:

Fighting Attraction

Finnick was having the mental battle of his life. He couldn't decide what the right thing to do was. He had been pacing the room ever since he saw Luctra get out of the water and the camera had zoomed in on her bad leg. He had been about to bolt out of the room to get medication sent to her ASAP when Petal stopped him.

"Finnick wait! She's not alone." Petal said pointing at the screen. Finnick turned from the door his hand still on the handle.

"Fuck." Finnick said as he watched the kid from 2, Cato, pop of out the water in the basin. He had thought being from 2 that the kid would have died in the water making Luctra's getaway successful. Apparently since Annie they were now teaching Careers how to swim better.

"What the hell is he doing?" Gem said. The group of them all watched the screen intently as Cato went to Luctra, waiting for the moment when Cato would strike out at her. But it never came.

"Does he….I mean why…"

"Just spit it out Petal." Finnick snapped.

"Why does he look concerned that he hurt her when he touched her leg?" Petal replied angrily. Sighing Finnick looked at Petal apologetically before looking back the screen. He had also seen the flash of worry go through the kid's eyes when Luctra had hissed in pain.

"I have no idea." He said. Continuing to watch the screen he had a flash of hope when he saw Luctra make it into the forest while the Career buggered off behind the waterfall. However that hope soon dropped into fear when Cato had emerged, saw Luctra missing, followed her trail of blood, found her again and then shoved her to the ground.

"Was it just me or did he look like he felt bad after Luctra hit the ground so hard? Like he didn't mean for her to collapse like that…" Diamond, Dash's stylist said. All of them were just getting more confused by the minute. Finnick's eyes popped out of his when he watched Cato pick up Luctra, being mindful of her bad leg, and carry her behind the falls where the camera shot was now from inside the cave.

Gem and Finnick both rumbled in horror when Cato told Luctra to take off her clothes, thinking along the same lines as Luctra. Finnick was already at the control panel ready to file a rule violation sanction when he heard Cato vehemently deny the accusation.

"Are you going to send the medication?" Gem was perplexed at what he was seeing.

"I don't know if I should." Finnick said sitting down. Petal sat still in her seat her eyes glued to the screen when an idea came to her.

"What about sending something else? To see what he does with it?" Petal said hurriedly.

"That's brilliant." Finnick cried thankfully. He could have kissed Petal.

"She's soaking wet so how about towels?" Diamond suggested. Finnick looked excitedly relieved that they had figured out a plan as he jogged out of the room.

He only had to run down the hall and two floors down before he was stopped by an older man and his son who wanted to sponsor Luctra. Apparently his son was around Dash's age and had lost his mother so he didn't want Dash to go through the same thing.

"That's really what you need right now?" The man asked skeptically. He was prepared to send the medicine that Luctra needed as well.

"We need to test the waters with the District 2 tribute. No use sending in medicine if he's just going to throw it in the river." Finnick commented letting the man enter the payment for the towels and future payment for medicine onto Finnick's mobile control pad (AN: Think Ipad). The man nodded fully understanding. Handing the pad back to Finnick the man's son chirped up.

"Come find us if you need anything else!"

Finnick smiled and nodded then ran down to the package prep room and then back into the control room and madly tapped away at the screen. He authorized the towel parachute first, and then the hot chocolate parachute for Dash that one of the little Capitol girls had purchased.

Gem, Diamond, Petal and Finnick all turned to the screen holding their breath waiting to see what would happen.

* * *

Luctra and Cato were both bare foot now since he had at least convinced her that their boots need to dry or risk getting foot rot. He had to take hers off since she couldn't reach them. She had nice feet but he noticed they had some scars on them. He didn't ask her about them, though he was curious.

"Your clothes are soaking wet." Cato said again as he stood on what Luctra had dubbed 'his side of the cave'.

"I did jump into a river so it's not surprising." Luctra retorted smartly from her spot on the ground. She was still arguing with Cato about taking off her clothes.

Cato let out a long breath, like a parent would do when trying to reason with a child who was throwing a temper tantrum. This in his opinion was exactly what Luctra was doing. He ran his hands through his hair.

"If you don't get dry you'll get hypothermia." Cato warned starting to get a little frustrated with her. He had already taken off his jacket and shirt and laid them out to dry on the ground. Luctra had shouted in shock when she saw him starting to take of his shirt and slammed her eyes closed. They had remained glued shut since that moment.

Cato found her refusal to look at his naked chest amusing. Most girls leered openly at him or blushed and looked away. None had flat out refused to check him out, except Luctra. She just kept surprising him and Cato found that refreshing.

"I'll get hypothermia either way so at least I can keep my dignity." Luctra argued. Behind her eye lids unfortunately she kept replaying the moment when Cato had started taking his shirt off. She had caught a glimpse of his muscled stomach before shouting her protest and shutting her eyes. If she became attracted to Cato she wouldn't know what to do, she was too inexperienced. Seeing him undress would throw her off enough that she might just do what he asked since he would have all the control in a situation Luctra had never been stuck in. Her discomfort with attraction was going to cause her a lot of problems in the near future and she knew it.

Cato was about to respond when he heard the telltale sign of a parachute coming by. It was faint but the falls were thinner on one side so the sound traveled through.

"Sponsor time." Cato said spinning around and heading to the mouth of the cave.

"Gotta be yours because my mentor wouldn't be stupid enough to send me something while I'm stuck with you." Luctra shot out at his disappearing form. The comment was more for Finnick then Cato.

Cato moved down the path carefully the water feeling colder against his bare skin. Hooked on one of the trees that grew on the rocks running up the side of the waterfall was a parachute. Hanging down from it was a medium sized box with the number '4' stamped on it. Cato had to climb up the vines a little to detach the box from the chute. With the box in hand he strolled into the cave.

"Guess you have a stupid mentor cause it's for you." Cato approached her smirking, the box resting under one arm at his side.

Sitting up quickly Luctra's eyes snapped open in surprise and looked straight up to Cato, but her gaze never made it all the way up to his eyes. She gulped and felt the blood rush to places it shouldn't have in her body. He was gorgeous. She didn't even notice that her tongue had left her mouth and swiped over her lips.

Later on Luctra wished she had been a prude and become offended at Cato's half naked form. Unlike Finnick whose muscles could be used in an anatomy class they were so defined Cato's were larger and more rounded like dough that Luctra wanted to knead in her hands. He was huge and Luctra had felt the muscles so she knew they were like rock, but the dents and dips between muscles flowed into each other, instead of being sharp cuts. He looked stronger, more perfect by not being so perfect, like a God and not a Capitol creation. She wondered what it would be like to run her hand over his peck tracing over his nipple lightly bring her full palm down over it dragging her hand downwards over the vast expansion of his ribs tracing the scar that ran lightly over them, then rest her hand on his defined hip bone. As the mental image of running her hand up his chest crossed her mind she snapped herself out of it by shifting her gaze to the package at Cato's side.

"Gimmie my box." Luctra demanded. He was gorgeous and she wasn't. She was physically too much of an equal to Cato in her mind. Strength would also lose out to fragility when it came to female laws of attraction. She would never be able to compare to Glimmer, she was built too strongly and for the first time in her life Luctra resented it.

Cato had to fight really hard not to laugh out loud or let the huge grin get out that was fighting to cross his face. She had just asked him for her box like nothing had just happened, like she hadn't been checking him out. He had watched her examine his body upper body, her eyes raking over his defined and muscular chest. He would bet money that she hadn't even noticed she wet her lips, a sign that she was aroused. When she had done it he felt that animal side of him wake up, the part that had been waking up since the interviews. The need to hunt came over him, but not for blood. It was more primal then that. His eyes had darkened and his shoulders squared back unconsciously making his chest even broader. He hadn't known until now how much he wanted her to want his body, but if his reaction was anything to go by he had wanted it really bad. The animal retreated when she had asked for her box, but it was there, just below the surface of his practical mind. But it wasn't going to go away now that it had been woken up. Not until it got what it wanted from her.

"Only if you say please." He said sternly.

"Please can I have my box." Luctra restated holding out her hands. Cato was surprised when she gave in. He really didn't have a choice but to give it to her. Luctra saw his mildly shocked expression.

"Good manners are not something to be argued over." Luctra preached while she tore into the box. She stopped once it was open.

"What you get?" Cato asked when Luctra just sat there and didn't pull anything out.

"Towels…." Luctra said slightly confused. She had thought it would be something more useful. Like medicine or bandages. The towels were black and a soft thick terry cloth. If she guessed right there were 2 big towels in the box. Sitting on top of the towels in the box was a note. Luctra opened it up.

_This is just a test._

Scrunching her face in confusion Luctra tried to figure out what the hell it meant. Her leg was throbbing more now that her hope of relief had been thwarted. Why would Finnick send her towels, sure she was wet but there were more important things to send her while she was with Cato.

' _That's why.'_  Luctra recognized what the gift and note represented. Finnick was testing to see what Cato would do with her gifts before he sent anything really expensive or important. She ripped the note to shreds quickly before pulling out one of the towels and running it over her face. It was so soft.

"Now you have no excuse not to get undressed." Cato told her self-righteously. Luctra looked up from her towel and up to Cato. He was right. With the huge towels she could get undressed, dry off and stay warm while her clothing dried. She couldn't think of a valid point not too.  _'I hate you Finnick. You did this for those "sponsors" you got me. Didn't you!'_ She yelled in her head. Remembering Dash she played the game that was set out in front of her.

"Turn around." She commanded him crossing her arms. Not a chance she was going to strip while he watched. Sure he had seen her in less at the parade, but that was different. It had been a costume and Capitol smoke and mirrors…and lightning. Here in the cave, it was all her, all natural. She was going to be judged on her body, and she felt she had never won that verdict.

Cato smiled at his victory. Raising his hands in mock surrender her turned around and faced the cave wall. He heard every movement she made, trying to picture it as she undressed.

Luctra didn't bother unzipping her jacket; she just pulled it over head and tossed it to the side. She looked to make sure Cato wasn't peaking. Quickly she pulled her black arena t-shirt off and tossed over to where her jacket landed. She wrapped the towel around her upper body. Looking down she knew she wouldn't be able to get her pants off,  _'Take that Cato!'_ she thought triumphantly. She couldn't stand up and she would just aggravate her leg if she tried to shimmy out of them while she we itting. At least her upper body was warming up though.

"You can turn around now. Unless you just wanna keep staring at the wall." She said the last part hopefully.

"Ha ha." Cato said sarcastically turning around and walking over to Luctra's discarded shirt and jacket. Picking them up he went over and laid them down next to his.

"Pants?" He asked for turning back to her expectantly.

"You can't have them." Luctra said stubbornly. Cato stared her down. 'Can't have' was not a concept that Cato was familiar with and he wasn't planning on getting to know it now.

"You have the towels and your pants are wrecked anyway." Cato pointed out.

"Uhh…pieces of the material are stuck to the gash. Taking them off would just rip it open." Luctra thought up quickly. She was proud that she had come up with that on the fly. Cato seemed to be stuck on trying to find a counter argument. When she saw the triumphant smile on his face she knew he had found one and she was a little scared.

"You're right." Lucrtra raised her eyebrow at him. There was no way it was that easy to get him to back off.

"It also needs to be cleaned out so you'll have to shower them off under the spray from the waterfall." He smirked

"Come again?" She was sure she had just heard him wrong. He was not asking her to basically shower in front of him.

"That's what he said." Cato couldn't stop himself from saying immediately. Luctra had a flash of déjà vu. Cato shook his head at himself for acting like he was. Without doing a thing Luctra cracked through the sadistic killer persona, or maybe he just really didn't want her to see him as that.

"And you heard me clearly." Cato couldn't keep the lunatic grin off his face. And, yup, she was giving him the 'your-bat-shit-crazy' look.

* * *

"I think we all heard you clearly Cato." Caesar said laughing naughtily to the camera.

"This is such an unforeseen development!" Claudius beamed.

"Yes it is and I think all of Panem could agree with me when I say we're all on the edge of our seats right now." Caesar wiggled his eyebrows at the Camera.

"On the edge and biting our nails! What has happened to Cato, killer machine from District 2?" Claudius looked back at the screen image of Cato and Luctra in the cave.

"If I had to take a guess I would say Luctra has woken up something more primal in Cato, something that he has been keeping at bay until now." Caesar hypothesized.

"It probably woke up at the parade from the look we all saw on his face! Also there is the fact that she is clearly putting up a fight against her obvious attraction to him." Claudius's voiced dipped low at the end of the statement. "Perhaps Cato is enjoying the thrill of a different type of battle."

"I do say these Hunger Games are turning out to be more about the drama and heat between Tributes then killing! And I can't say I'm sorry to see it! So much intrigue, so much seduction, so much skin!" Caesar looked right at the camera and wiggled his eyebrows again.

* * *

"Did I hear Cato clearly?" Gem asked looking around the room hoping someone would correct him.

"Yes. He wants her to shower in front of him." Finnick said through his clinched teeth. Finnick was sure that Cato knew Luctra wouldn't be able to stand on her own, which meant Cato would have to hold her up under the water.  _'Just what is he playing at?'_  Finnick worried as all the fears Luctra had about men and her reaction to what he had done to get her sponsors ran through his head. He knew that this could break her if it went wrong.

"Where are you going?" Petal wondered as she saw Finnick heading for the control room door.

"To get her some new clothes. Maybe a down body suit so he stops looking at her like she's a steak." He told them as he walked out the door. Finnick walked into busy the Lobby when someone stepped into his path.

"What do you want Brutus?" Finnick demanded. Brutus glared at him but Finnick was not at all intimidated by him.

"Your bitch is making MY tribute soft." Brutus hissed.

"My TRIBUTE has nothing to do with what your asshole has decided to do." Finnick snarled back. They were getting quite a crowd now. A crowd that was eager for juicy insiders as to what was going on with the Boy from 2 and the Girl from 4. The ruthless alpha male and the protective alpha female.

"He is trained to KILL, nothing else. She must have poisoned him." Brutus accused. Finnick had a choice. He could continue arguing and defending Luctra against Brutus's accusations, or Finnick could use this confrontation to his and Luctra's advantage.

"Or maybe he's changing because of her. Everyone who knows Luctra can't help but love her on some level." Finnick could see he had the full attention of the crowd. This was going to spread like wild fire. "Maybe you're more worried that your killer is melting away because of Luctra's caring and protective nature."

"Never…" Brutus began to deny.

"Maybe, just maybe, he's falling in love with her." Finnick finished brushing past a shocked Brutus. The rumour mill began churning faster than the river in the arena. Finnick prayed he had done the right thing.

* * *

AN: Ok so this is the first half of the original Chapter Nine. The next half is when things get oh so yummy yummy. If any of you have looked at my other Fanfics they are all 'Rated M' for obvious reasons so the rating will probably go up on this one soon. So you've been warned. Just to make sure people understand something, Luctra isn't a prude or completely oblivious to sex and sexuality, on the contrary, she is just terrified of having attraction returned because it would mean being vulnerable. It will be more explained later on.

Also a lot of you seem to like my version of Marvel, so I'm going to keep him in the direction of comic relief.

Luv

Rayn


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: YAY! Thank you so much for the feed back! It has spurred me on so much that I actually have planned out the complete outline for the story! Just to clarify for this chapter. Luctra is scared of men she is attracted to that are attracted to her. She's worried that if she gets to close she'll give up control and then the person will break her. Momentary loses of control are going to happen, she knows this, but it's the long term giving up control, aka trust, that she is afraid of wanting/doing.

Enjoy!

Chapter Ten:

Poseidon's Seduction of Amphitrite

"You know I'm right."

Luctra knew he was right, but she would make-out with Glimmer before she admitted it to his face. She had a death grip on the towel shielding her body. His confidence was irritating and attractive at the same time. He was really getting under her skin.  _'Play the game. Get out of here alive. Save Dash.'_  Her new mantra became.

"One way or another it's eventually going to happen." Cato reminded her. She was going to have to clean out her wound sometime and the sooner the better. Luctra made one last ditch attempt.

"I won't be able to stand for very long, and the falls could knock me off balance." She challenged.

Saying that turned out to be a bigger mistake then just telling him 'no' as Cato had been waiting for her to say this. If she was going to choose Thresh over him he was going to put up a hell of a fight. Thresh was built like him, but Cato would bet money that he had more experience with women then Thresh. Cato knew he could use that to his advantage if only he could get physically close enough to Luctra. Without her feeling like he was forcing himself on her.

"Then I'll just have to hold you." He smirked. He watched her face pale. She was clearly intimidated by anything to do with intimate physical contact. This would really work to his advantage now.

"But then you'll get soaked again." She tried weakly. If she didn't clean it, it would get infected and she would die. If she cleaned it she'd have to get up close and trust Cato not to hurt her. It was really a tossup at this point to which was worse.

Cato smirked wider. Luctra watched in horror and fascination as his arms uncrossed and his hands slowly traveled to the top of his pants. He flicked open his belt buckle, popped open his button and then proceeded to start unzipping his zipper, dragging it down painfully slow. All the blood rushed to Luctra's face. He body flushed as she watched him undress for her as it was one of the most sexual things a man had done in her presence.  _'Play the game. Get out of here alive. Save Dash.'_  She repeated to herself.

Cato watched Luctra's reaction carefully as he began to undo his pants watching her body flush a light pink. He pulled the material down over his thighs to the knee and let them fall to his ankles before stepping out of them. He stood quietly with his hands on his hips looking down at her.

He was now standing in front of her with nothing but a pair of tight black arena boxer briefs that only came to mid-thigh. Luctra felt the blood pool between her legs heating her core. His thighs were so big and muscular with a few scattered scars that she wanted to run her fingers over. She was positive her knees would barley hit the floor if she were straddling him. Dragging her eyes over his thighs and up again she would bet he would be able to hold her up if she wrapped her legs around his hips too, even if he was buried deep inside her. She flushed again. As much as she tried to she couldn't help but glance at what was between his legs. He was big from what she could see. She felt herself get a little wet at the thought of him pushing deep inside her. Her senses had been overpowered by his physical attractiveness and prowess and, like she knew would happen, she was on edge, unsure and nervous. His body was like a road map of muscles and scars that would tell her his life story if she followed them.

 _'It should be illegal to get undressed in the games with someone of the opposite gender.'_  She hissed in her head hating herself for her raging hormones.

Cato had watched her examine his lower body. Her eyes had darkened and he saw her breathing get shallow as she stared at his thighs. He knew his legs were strong and built but he hadn't seen a girl yet who was as obviously and strongly turned on by them as Luctra was. He saw she had briefly looked at his package and noticed her slight surprise at the size before she got a look of deep contemplation on her face. He hadn't expected to see her legs clinch together, in what he knew meant she was getting wet at the sight of him combined with whatever she was thinking. He felt the animal side of him demanding to be let lose, to show her what his strong body was capable of. Cato smirked. She had been weakened by her own arousal and he had complete control.

Luctra let out a defeated sigh finally tearing her eyes away from Cato and looked at the roof of the cave.

"I knew you'd see it my way." Cato told her walking up to her and crouching down beside her. Luctra glared at him successfully only looking at his eyes trying to hide the affect he had on her by being so close. She held on to the fact that she hadn't verbally told him he was right. It was a small victory but it was still a victory.

"You're gonna have to let go of the towel."

An even smaller victory now. Still glaring Luctra closed her eyes and looked away from him, grinding her teeth in anger. She looked back at him glaring even harder.  _'Play the game. Get out of here alive. Save Dash.'_  She reminded herself.

"Stand me up first." She ordered him. Cato smirked and kneeled behind her, wrapped his arms around her midriff and under her crossed arms, over the towel and lifted her up, her back against his chest. Luctra brought her good leg underneath her body as Cato lifted her and using it to push up on to make sure the bad one didn't even flex, as Cato brought her upright against his chest. Once again Luctra noticed how strong Cato's chest was as it pressed against her back.

Holding her back against his chest Cato moved around to the side of her body without her bad leg. He shifted one hand to sit on her far hip around her back and one around the front of her waist resting his hand in the belt loop at the front of her far hip. Her shoulder was now pressed into his chest as she tried to keep her balance while still holding the towel. Holding her hip tight he leaned her just far enough from his body to give her room to let go of the towel. Looking away from him Luctra dropped the towel and pressed back into his body immediately her arms crossing over the exposed areas of her body self-consciously.

She was trying to take away the view of her exposed body even though she had her bra on. She looked up into his eyes terrified that she would see a look of disgust on his face as a reaction to seeing her body naturally and up close. She looked into his blue eyes, they were dilated and darker then she had seen them before. He was also breathing slowly through his nose, like he was trying to control something.

Cato felt like the curtain had just been lifted a fraction at the main stage. She was wearing a green and grey sports bra that showed a little cleavage as her ample breasts pressed against each other under the fabric. He felt the animal climbing to the surface again. He hadn't seen much else since she had plastered herself back into him after she dropped the towel in an effort to cover her body from his view. She had her arms crossed over her stomach and breasts at the nipple. But now he could feel her skin on his. His arm was wrapped around her bare back his hand resting on her far hip, his other hand was around her waist just over her arm and holding onto the belt loop of her pants just to the front side of her hip. She was cold but her skin was very soft, probably because of the pre-prep process so it felt like silk as the dampness caused her skin to stick to his skin. He wondered if the rest of her was just as soft and supple.

Cato removed his fingers from her belt loop and detached his arm that was around her waist and sitting against her forearm. Using his now free arm he took her wrist into his hand, the one that was crossed over her chest connected to the shoulder that pressed against his chest and lifted her arm draping across his shoulders around the back of his neck.

Luctra's breathing had become very shallow as she felt her arm land across the back of his shoulders. She could feel his muscles flexing in his neck as the end of his hair brushed against her arm. He was warmer than her and the skin on her arm felt like fire where it made contact with his. She ran her fingers lightly over a scar she could feel on his shoulder, wondering where he had gotten it from. He was being so gentle with her right now, like she was made of glass and she was melting into him.

Bending his knees Cato hooked his arm under her legs, being mindful not to grip where the gash ran down the back of her far leg. He stood there a moment with her in his arms feeling her lightly trace a scar on his shoulder making it tingle. She just fit right into him. Her hand rested against his chest and Cato felt his skin jolting at the contact. Luctra could feel his chest twitch under hand and his steady heartbeat. During all of this they never broke eye contact once, Cato's dark blue eyes burning with lust, and Luctra's eyes full of confused desire.  _'Play the game...?'_

* * *

"I believe we are seeing the rebirth of an ancient legend." Caesar commented as the view screen behind them followed Cato carrying Luctra slowly out of the cave entrance and out to the waterfall.

"Which legend?" Claudius asked for the audience's sake.

"The legend of Poseidon's seduction of Amphitrite." Caesar clarified. "You see…" He continued looking right at the camera. "Once Poseidon had seen Amphitrite among the Nereids' he knew he had to have her and whisked her off to the sea where he seduced her into becoming his for all eternity."

"Wow." Claudius said in awe to the camera. In the rest of the Capitol viewers were hanging on every word. This was almost better then when Finnick Odair had received the trident. A Greek legend comes to life in the Hunger Games! A deadly killer trying to win the heart of a protective warrior! It was almost too much excitement for the viewers.

Caesar went on to analyze the events in the games to prove his point.

"See here we have Poseidon rising from the water and spotting Amphitrite." The screen behind Claudius and Caesar replayed the moment when Cato had surfaced in the basin and spotted Luctra on the shore. "Now he goes and lay's claim to her." The clip switched to when Cato had grabbed Luctra's thigh and she grabbed his wrist. "And finally he whisks her away to seclusion where he can begin to seduce her." It clipped to Cato carrying Luctra into the cave and kneeling beside her, staring down her body while she laid there with her eyes closed.

* * *

Neither said anything as Cato carried Luctra out of the cave, down the path and onto a ledge that extended under the falls where the spray was weaker. Bending down slowly he put her good foot down gently facing her towards him. Luctra placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself as he put her down.

Straightening out Cato rose above Luctra his eyes passing hers as he moved to tower over her as he stood to his full height. As he rose he had placed his hands on her hips to keep her steady. Her hips were full and soft. They felt amazing in his hands and he tightened his grip a little as the animal came closer to the surface demanding Cato to bring her hips against his. He thought about how good his light fingerprints would look bruised into her skin from holding her hips as she took him into her deeply and rode him while he guided her wild strokes. He shook his head clearing the thought and provocative image before he lost control.

Luctra felt his hands tighten on her hips and saw the look in his eyes. Both were highly possessive and Luctra found herself reveling in it. She wondered what it would feel like to have him grip her hips tighter as she rode him, guiding her along as she lost control to the wild pleasure of moving over him. She almost slapped herself to get rid of the thought. At least she could blame her hard nipples on the fact that she was cold. He would probably believe that. Time to cool off she decided.

 _'Play the game. Get out of here alive. Save Dash.'_  Her mantra was getting weaker.

"I wanna rinse my hair first." Luctra told him softly looking into his eyes. His blue eyes were full of a dark hunger making them look like liquid sapphires. Cato now saw that Luctra's eyes were more green then brown and were openly staring at him like he could explain what was happening, that he could tell her what she should do. He felt his member twitch. She was becoming a seductress without even knowing it.

"Ok." Cato didn't trust himself to say more. Luctra eyes blurred out as she lifted her hands from his shoulders and reached behind her head focusing on pulling out the tangled elastic, shaking her head once it was out. Cato had never seen her with her hair down naturally. Even in the mess it was now it made her look gentler but wilder. He felt Luctra leaning back so he pulled her too him his groin pressing into hers. Her legs opened a little of their own accord when he pressed into her. She arched her back and closed her eyes as her head fell into the gentle falls behind her. She ran her hands through her hair ringing out the dirt and untangling the snags.

With her arms up and her arching backwards Cato got to see her upper body fully. Goddess was right. Her arms were strong and defined leading into broad shoulders and a defined collar bone. From there it led into her ample chest which fit her perfectly due to her strong upper body structure. Her ribs were covered with strong muscles, which he had felt earlier wrapped into the strong muscles on her back. Her stomach was strong but held some weight making it feminine and she had the small curve in the front that made her look mature and womanly. The way she was arching her back to get into the water pushed her hips harder into his hands. The image of her bent back in front of him with his hands on her hips was highly erotic. He imagined what it would look like if he were holding her like this well slamming his erection into her hot wet folds. Cato was sure he was barely breathing as all his thoughts turned to the animalistic possession of the creature his hands were holding in front of him.

Cato looked up at the water falling above them and took a few deep breaths to get control over himself. If she was so afraid of intimacy then even if she gave in now because her senses were overloaded Cato knew she would regret it later. The animal was clawing away at his self-restraint, but the cold water was helping him fight it. He was almost sure his 'killing machine' persona was shot to hell as the cameras caught him blatantly desiring the woman in his hands, yet treating her so gently. His father was probably trying to break into the arena to beat the shit out of him for being weak. But for once Cato didn't care. The part of him that they had tried to beat out of him at the academy, the human side, the side that his mother had secretly nurtured in him was coming back to life because of the girl in his hands. In that moment he would rather die having his mother proud then live with the cost of making his father happy. Though he was sure his mother would lecture him about how a gentleman should treat a lady…

"Ok I'm done." Luctra called to Cato softly. He was in such deep thought staring at the falling water that she almost didn't want to disturb him as he looked so serene.

Cato looked down to Luctra her hair now falling around her shoulders in a heavy darkened curtain. On her face she wore a look of open curiosity and desire. He could tell she was confused about what was happening and was afraid of what he could do to her. He just wasn't sure he wanted to know what would scare her more. If he made an advance, or if he tried to kill her. He was only fighting back the temptation of the first one right now.

He was staring down at her. Luctra was completely in his control right now and she knew it. She could feel the light pressure from his slight erection just above her womanhood. That didn't frighten her, it actually excited her that she was affecting him which wasn't a normal thought for her. What was throwing her right now was the fact that her sense were in overdrive and she was nervous about so many things she shouldn't be nervous about. Like whether or not he thought she was attractive, or if he liked holding her, or if he could tell that she was turned on, and many more things along those lines. Her desire to avoid rejection and being used had left her completely inexperienced with men. Cato had obviously had experience with a lot of woman so she was at his mercy. He could easily break her confidence by humiliating her.

"Let's get your leg cleaned." Cato's voice had become deeper as he spoke. It struck a chord deep in Luctra's stomach making her butterflies beat stronger. She could only nod her head at him. Encircling his arms around her waist Cato lifted Luctra off the ground. Luctra ran her hands up his chest and onto his shoulders, the muscles twitching under her hands until she placed them gently on the back of his neck. Her fingers unconsciously began to play with the short hair at the base of Cato's skull. They were eye level now, their faces only inches apart. The look in his eyes was new to Luctra, she had never been looked at like this before, like he was dying of thirst and she was water. But she wasn't sure what it meant, she was getting more confused. Cato could see the questions in her eyes, did she really not know what his eyes were saying? Holding her tight to his body Cato backed them into the waterfall without bumping her leg.

Cato pulled her tighter to him plastering their upper bodies together as the strong falls washed over both of them. It was so intimate just holding each other, so pure that he didn't want to move. He was getting lost in the sensations her fingers were sending through his body as she ran them through part of his hair. Her head was against the front of his shoulders and he could feel her lips resting against his skin as she shielded her face from the heavy downpour of water. Lost in the moment he began rubbing his thumbs over the small of her back in return. One hand slowly traced up the feminine curve of her spine, and he felt her shiver as he did it.

Luctra loved the feeling of Cato's wet skin against hers', her lips dying to take a taste of the skin underneath them. She felt his muscles twitching and flexing under her hands at the back of his neck. Gaining some confidence she then ran her hands down over his shoulders, over his biceps which flexed as her hands ran over them, down to his muscled forearms, strong and built from years of sword training, a thick scar running over one. She traced the same path back up his arms feeling feminine power for the first time as he flexed under her hands, again leaving them to rest on the area between his neck and shoulder. His caresses on her lower back were sending wave after wave of electricity up her spine with every stroke. She arched into him as his fingers ran over her spine and down again. She had never been in a position like this before so maybe that was why she was reacting so strongly. Either way she was lost in the moment completely. After a few minutes Cato picked her up again and backed them out of the waterfall.

"Keep holding my shoulders." He told her as he dragged his hands from her lower back and circled his hands over the bare skin of her hips above her pants, only to stop on her belt buckle at the front. He groaned when Luctra had closed her eyes while he traced his hands around her hips. He flicked open her belt buckle. Luctra's eyes snapped open wide with alarm sucking in a sharp breath. This was going to be the first time she ever let a man take off a piece of her clothing. Staring into her eyes, his face completely focused Cato popped the button and began to unzip her pants. There was a change in the look in Cato's eyes after she had inhaled sharply. Luctra had seen that look in Cato's eyes before. It was the same dark possessive look he had on his face when he vowed to prove her wrong in the elevator. The hunter's eyes.

Her pants were completely undone now. Cato saw the nervousness behind the desire in her eyes.

"I'll be as gentle as possible." Cato promised her holding an open flap of her pants in each set of his fingertips. Luctra wasn't sure he was just talking about getting her pants off without hitting her gash when he told her he would be gentle. His fingertips were so close to where Luctra's body wanted them to go, but where her mind was also terrified they would go.

Luctra could only manage a small nod. Cato looked down to his hands as he slipped them around the top of her pants pulling them down gently. He guided the material over her firm rear stopping it just under the edge of it. He kneeled down in front of her, his eyes now level with her belly button and her womanhood. Her underwear matched her bra and covered a lot more area then most the girls he had been with. It was classy and Cato once again was surprised by Luctra. Even her underwear was taunting him, saying that she was everything he had never had before. If it hadn't been for the water Cato wondered if he would be able to smell her arousal. He let out a low growl and refocused.

Luctra heard the growl from deep in Cato's chest. It was the sexiest thing she had heard from a man before. Did he make that sound when he was having sex? It was so animalistic, so possessive, that a wave of heat rushed to her core and her stomach muscles tightened in anticipation. Anticipation of what, she didn't know.

Looking down at the wound Cato saw that if he dragged the pant legs down together he risked scraping the sealed part of her leg with the still intact hip section of her pants. He took a piece of the ripped material on each side of the gash and jerked it apart.

Luctra gasped and dug her fingers into Cato's shoulders when he ripped the material of her pant leg upwards. She felt a rush of excitement at the demonstration of power and at the recklessness of it. Cato heard the gasp and felt her fingers dig in to his shoulders. He would tear off all her clothes like that if that was how she reacted. Luctra was really making this hard on him, pun intended. And what was worse was that she had no idea what she was doing, it was all natural reactions. There was nothing fake or ulterior motives. She was turned on because he had turned her on. His inner animal puffed with possessive pride.

Her pulled down her pants the rest of the way purposely dragging his fingertips down the back of her good leg. He felt her shiver and she was leaning heavily on him now and he bet if he continued touching her leg like that, her leg would give out. ' _Would that count as being knocked to the ground again?'_  He wondered playfully. Reaching his hand up he placed it on the small of her back and pulled her down, bringing her waist on to his shoulder in effect throwing Luctra over his shoulder. Using only his legs he leg pressed up and lifted her off the ground enough to slip the pants off her feet, then put her back down. Her pants were completely off now and Luctra straightened up off his shoulder, returning her hands to their previous place. Cato took the time to inspect the full damage to her leg. It started at the front of her leg about 4 inches below her hip it started cutting down her thigh to the outside, probably because she was rotating as the rock caught her, getting deeper in the middle of the gash. Her hands still on his shoulders Cato leaned forward on the balls of his feet moving forward a little, his outside shoulder moving past her leg so he could move his head and see how far down the back the gash went.

Luctra stared down at Cato's muscular back. The urge to drag her hands over the muscles and feel them twitch was getting stronger every moment. The way it was flexing as he moved to look at the back of her leg showed her how strong it was, she imagined that with a powerful back like this Cato could put a lot of power and control it his thrust while making love. She wondered what his back would look like with her finger bruises along it from her clinging to him as she rode out a strong wave of pleasure. She wasn't surprised at the possessive nature of her thoughts. She was losing control and she didn't know how to stop.

"You got some luck on your side. It missed the artery and ligaments." Cato told her moving back in front of her looking up at her. Luctra looked down into Cato's eyes. The image of Cato kneeling in front of her in his boxers his hair soaking and sticking out at odd angles, water dripping down his face and staring at her with something akin to worship would be burned into her memory forever. She imagined him looking at her like that and taking her leg over his shoulder, then burying his face into her folds flicking his tongue over and over until her leg gave out and she was only being held up by his physical power and her brought her over the edge.

"That's good." She said huskily.  _'Play the game. Get out of here alive. Save Dash.'_  She barely understood what that meant anymore. She couldn't remember why she had avoided situations like this all her life anymore. The excitement was intoxicating. Cato looked up at her noticing the change in her voice.

"I need to clean it fully." His voice was a deep rumble. She nodded as he stood up and lifted her back into the water, but not as far this time. In her state of current arousal and inability to focus on anything else she did manage to notice that even when Cato touched her in the same place he already had, like picking her up, she felt a charged reaction every time.

Her hands hadn't left his shoulders so again when he kneeled down she stabilized herself on them. Cato wanted those hands to stay gripping his shoulders forever. He briefly imaged her bracing herself on his shoulders as he sat against the cave wall with her on his lap, using them to lift her body up and down over his throbbing erection. Cato reached behind Luctra and began cupping water in his hand, throwing it at the gash at the back of her leg. It hadn't gotten that dirty so it was clean in no time. Standing up again he picked up Luctra turned them around and backed himself into the falling water. He kneeled down onto one knee this time right in front of her so close that he could have reach out his tongue and touched her stomach. Catching one of those drops rolling down was almost too tempting, but he somehow knew if he did it she would freak out and might not let him touch her again. He had to keep her under the spell that was holding them together right now. He brought Luctra's bad leg forward to the inside of his knee in front of his body. Holding her calf in his hand he brought her shin to rest against his abdomen and part of his chest. The water fell over him and her bad leg as Luctra tried to hold onto his shoulder tight to keep her balance while still letting the water fall onto the gash. It was too hard for her so she slowly lowered herself down onto the ground.

Cato felt her starting to sit and held her leg tight to his chest to give her some resistance. As she lowered herself down to his level the animal thundered in delight. She was now sitting in front of him on her rear leaning back on her hands as he held her leg by the calf against his body. The animal in him recognized this as a submissive move, that Cato should get on top of her and claim her as his. But the raging red wound on her leg kept the animal in check. He ran his hand over the wound tenderly knocking out the dirt and washing away the stray blood. Luctra kept biting her lip and gasping as he ran his hand over her thigh. Sometimes because it would hurt and sometimes because it would send a pleasant shock up her body.

' _If she gasps one more time and or bites her lip again I am going to lose it.'_  Cato thought gritting his teeth to stop himself from listening to the animal which was beating down his practical mind harder and harder. Thankfully the cold water was keeping his erection at bay for the most part still. He deemed the wound clean enough and looked up at Luctra. She was breathing heavily her chest rising and falling with the deep breaths, her lips parted slightly as she panted. He imagined what it would be like to hear her panting into his ear as she fought to control the fire he started inside her.

Cato was holding her calf and looking right through her. She was scared because she didn't know what her own eyes were telling him. She wasn't ashamed of whatever was happening, physical was physical, what scared her is that she knew herself and in order to have the physical she had to have trust. And she knew she couldn't trust Cato. Her body was doing one thing while her mind was doing another. The recess of her mind told her this was all about getting away from Cato alive. Not to anger him by rejecting him or challenging him. She had to believe that.

Cato let go of Luctra's leg tenderly placing it down on the rock beneath them. The hunter in him recognized the look in her eyes as pure desire, while the practical side recognized the fear of the unknown. As long as that fear was there she would never let him completely have her without regretting it later. He moved his arms under her and picked her up bridal style, then carried her back into the cave. Cato put her down on her good foot on 'her side of the cave' letting her stand alone for a moment while he spread out the towel on the floor. He brought her into his arms bridal sytle again and laid her down slowly on the towel. His arm got pinned behind her back as she laid down bringing him down with her, hovering over her. It was a tense moment for both of them. Luctra was staring at him with anticipation and confusion again. He knew she was waiting for something but that she had no clue what she was exactly waiting for. The moment was broken by beeping.

Another parachute had arrived. And it had broken whatever spell Luctra had been under because her face tensed and she looked away from him.

"You should probably go get that." She was looking straight at the wall when she spoke. Cato sighed and pulled his arm out from Luctra, missing the skin to skin contact instantly. Getting up he walked out of the cave and to the side of the waterfall. There in the same spot as the last one had been were two parachutes one with a big box marked '2' and a smaller one marked '4' detaching them both he carried them inside the cave.

"There's one for each of us." Cato said bringing her box over to Luctra's side. In the time that he had been gone she had collected herself and brought herself back from the edge of sanity that Cato had put her on. She could stay off that edge as long as she didn't look at his mostly naked body again. The game was the game but she couldn't play one with rules she didn't know anymore.

"Thank you." She told him digging into the box. He had hoped she would expand her gratitude to her leg and bring up what had just taken place so he could see what she thought, gauge how much and how deeply she had been affected by it. But no such luck. She had pulled away again. This girl was going to be a challenge if she could go through what happened under the waterfall and then ignore that it happened, what she had felt, what her body had told him she was feeling; so shortly after it happened.

Cato opened his box and found a huge down comforter. He unfolded the top and was about to jerk it out to spread it when a shine caught his eye. Opening the next fold of the blanket he saw it. A knife. It was small and basic but he could tell it was sharp. Brutus was letting him know that he wanted him to kill Luctra and because of Cato's actions Brutus was only going to him in the basic tool so Cato would have to draw out her death if she fought back. It was a punishment for showing any emotion other than the heartless need to kill. Brutus was a cold sadistic son of a bitch and Cato wasn't going to play that game. He wasn't going to be his father if he could help it.

Luctra opened her box and found a new pair of pants and a new long sleeve shirt. The only note read:

_Wash garments appropriately._

Well that was a stupid message. Did he mean that she shouldn't shower with other tributes? Was there something in the water she needed to know about? Or was it a secret meaning….going on a hunch Luctra took out the shirt and looked at the care instructions tag. There it was. The real message.

 _Dash ok. Keep Cato's attentions up. Capitol interest in_ _ **it**_   _not fight to the death._

So Finnick wanted her to keep the, whatever it was, going with Cato because the Capitol was loving and demanding more of it so the Gamemakers would leave them alone to progress, as long as things were interesting or heated between herself and Cato. Well she had bought time for her leg to heal; as long as Cato didn't figure out she that she now had an ulterior motive. But the problem was her body wasn't faking and everything she feared about attraction and her inexperience were going to get her in trouble one way or another.  _'Am I playing the game, or is Cato playing me?_  The question was like a bucket of ice over her, for now.

* * *

AN: Was that enough Cato and Luctra goodness? Told yah that Luctra wasn't just going to drop at Cato's feet. She's attracted to him but she's gonna fight it all the way. Also I am going to be bringing up bites of Cato's past to explain his character better along the way. I have a set plan for certain tributes but there are a few I am on the fence with right now.

Also do not worry! Cato's character will remain true as the next chapter showcases. He is a killer and has an anger issues. Those are not forgotten by any means. If your hoping that Cato will completely lose that then, well, your bubble has been burst. Luctra is no exception to being on the receiving end of it as you will soon see. My version of Cato is like an onion, to quote Shrek, there are many layers. :D

See you next chapter,

Rayn


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

_**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS WHERE THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CATO AND LUCTRA TAKE OFF AND THEY ARE HEATED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!** _

AN: Thank you so much for all the wonderful feedback and generous compliments. They have inspired me so much that I have gotten so far ahead of where I thought I would be! Some of you have asked about their first kiss. I have written it, do not fear. But there is a buildup so sit tight. It will be well worth the wait.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eleven:

What's in a Touch

When something new came along a person could do one of two things. Accept it and enjoy the ride, or fight it tooth and nail kicking and screaming. Luctra was currently choosing to do the last one where her feelings for Cato were concerned. He played her body like an instrument and Luctra had no clue what the song was. She knew about sex and sexual attraction, hell she was 17, and her friends were more then descriptive about what they did. But she was so guarded and careful, knowing that it was the one thing that scared her most. Because for Luctra to be completely intimate with a guy she would have to completely trust him. And Luctra wasn't about to start trusting men that she was attracted too, it gave would give them too much power. Especially in the Hunger Games. Especially Cato. She needed to force Cato to back down willingly. And she didn't think she could have made that more clear than she did last night.

* * *

**Flashback**

" **Not a chance in the seven circles of hell." Luctra flat out refused to do what he was suggesting.**

" **You're going to freeze if you don't." Cato felt like they were having the pants argument all over again.**

" **I have the towels. That will be enough." She said firmly.**

" **You can't even put your pants on." Yup it was the pants argument all over again Cato sighed. Well it almost was.**

" **I will use my pants and shirt as pillow and then cover myself with the towel. I do not, I repeat DO NOT need to share your blanket." Lutra was lying on the floor propped up on one of her elbows facing Cato who was sitting on against the cave wall opposite her. Cato had wrapped the comforter around him like a cocoon. It was warm and 'snugly', Luctra's word not his, and Cato had told her they could share it for the night.**

" **You're being stupid." Cato was getting frustrated. He didn't want her to freeze but he would admit to himself the idea of Luctra being close to him again was his motivation for the argument.**

" **I'd rather be stupid and cold, then smart and warm." Luctra knew how stupid that sounded. Cato also gave her the same look he had given Glimmer when she had called Luctra fat. The 'your being an idiot and embarrassing yourself' look.**

" **That's the dumbest sentence I've ever heard." He said. Luctra knew that this argument would go on until Cato won. She had to make him back down. She thought of the only thing that she knew would make him angry. It was a risk but her fear of being close to Cato again was clouding her judgment. Laying on her back again, she closed her eyes.**

" **I won't betray him." She whispered but Cato heard her clearly. Luctra felt like the air had been sucked out of the cave and the temperature dropped a few degrees. It had worked. Cato had felt the animal in him rear its head, but for a whole different reason. Cato wasn't angry, no he was dangerously livid. The kind of livid that is calm and dark, where a person could do the most unspeakable things without batting an eye. The animal inside was calling for Thresh's blood, wanting to prove its superiority to Luctra, to make her submit to it. And she would. When she was healed and it was a fair fight.**

**That night Cato dreamed of destroying a certain boy. Luctra dreamed she was being destroyed by one.**

**End Flashback**

* * *

Luctra woke up the next morning and noticed two things right away. One that she could hear the beeping of another sponsor gift outside, and two, Cato was gone from the cave and only the remaining comforter told her that he wasn't a figment of her imagination. Thinking he had gone outside to get the parachute Luctra waited, and waited, and waited until it dawned on her. Maybe he was gone gone. She needed to get herself to that parachute. Luctra pulled the towel off of her and still in her underwear rolled onto her stomach. Putting her hands on the towel beneath her she put all her weight onto her hands. Rising onto the tip toes of her foot on her good leg, she pushed herself off the ground and hopped on her good leg forward towards her hands until she could push off her hands and right herself. There. She had managed to stand up on her own on one leg. Now came the hard part. Luctra hopped on one foot to the entrance to the cave. She wouldn't be able to hop down to where the sound was coming from, she would slip. Sighing Luctra sat down and began to bum rush it down the path. (AN: You know when you sit down and using your hands drag your butt and body backwards like you're rowing)

It wasn't the most glamorous way to get down the path, but the slick rocks that formed the path made it a little easier to slide. The beeping was louder now. Turning around on her rear Luctra saw that the parachute, with its small pod, was hanging from some trees that were growing in the rocks beside the waterfall. Luctra let out a frustrated huff. The Gamemakers weren't going to make this easy on her. Making it to the base of the overgrowth Luctra used the vines to pull herself up. She really wished Dash were here to climb up and get the chute for her. Determined she pulled herself up off the path using only her arms. Vertical in front of the vines now she used her arms to pull herself up off the rock and slipped her foot onto a root. She continued the laborious journey until the pod was just out of her reach. Stretching out as far as she could Luctra fingers had just brushed over the pod when her foot slipped. She couldn't catch herself in time.

Luctra fell downwards landing on the path below her. Now if her leg had been uninjured she would have probably stopped there. But when the foot of her bad leg hit the pathway it roared with pain and gave out sending Luctra flying back into the basin. It happened so quickly that she didn't even have time to scream. She hit the water and began sinking to the bottom.

* * *

"And…..she's in the water again." Gem called out as Luctra hit the water on the view screen. Finnick banged his head on the table.

"I need to send her water wings." Finnick couldn't believe what was happening in the games and outside of them. He was being pulled in so many directions and Luctra falling back into the basin wasn't helping him.

"How about one of those inflatable ducky waste rings?" Petal suggested. Finnick banged his head again.

* * *

Luctra swam back to the surface of the water. She knew that right now Finnick was probably thinking he should send her a life jacket or flotation device. She was completely incompetent at the moment and she kept her fingers crossed that Panem was thinking it was endearing, her struggle, and not funny. Funny didn't get you sponsors. Her arms were so tired from trying to get the parachute and now having to swim. It took her longer than it should have to get to the rock ledge she had fallen from. Once she got there she hung on to the edge of the rock and just stayed there. She didn't have the strength to drag herself up or swim to one of the banks.

Suddenly two arms reached down and violently yanked her out of the water and dropped her onto the path face down. Her arms slammed into the rock breaking her fall.

"When are you going to realize trying to run is a really fucking stupid move." Cato's voice was like a razor it was so cold and cutting. Luctra timidly looked up. She was exhausted, he was still angry about what she said and he thought she was trying to run away. He towered above her, fully dressed with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His eyes were like hard steel as they tore into her. She didn't know how to calm him down.

Cato watched as she dropped her forehead onto the path. He was pissed off that she had tried to escape and was ticked off that she wouldn't even answer him. He let out a violent growl as he snatched the back of her bra where the shoulder straps and back strap joined and hauled her up like a fishing net. He practically dragged her back into the cave. She didn't have the energy to fight him.

Luctra was afraid. He was treating her so violently compared to yesterday and she didn't know how far that violence would go and was concerned about how it could affect her survival. Getting into the cave he basically threw her onto his comforter as some subconscious part of him knew it would soften her landing. She didn't make a sound when she landed. She couldn't give in to the satisfaction of knowing he'd hurt her. Physically and emotionally. This was exactly what she was afraid would happen if she ever acted on her attractions. The person would use that power to break her, and Cato was doing just that by confusing her, using her and now hurting her. She buried her face into the comforter and said nothing. She noticed that the comforter smelled like musk and mint. Like Cato.

Cato was panting hard trying to control himself. He was so angry at her. Was she trying to escape to get to Thresh? That only fueled on his anger. He took a step towards her when he stopped hearing beeping. Another sponsor had sent something. Going to get it would give him a chance to cool off so he left. When he had come back and seen her in the water hanging onto the rock face that made the path his animal had become infuriated at the idea that Luctra was trying to escape from him.

Looking up at where the parachutes always were he saw two of them again. A box with a '2' on it and a small pod with a '4' on it. Gathering them he didn't pay attention to the fact that the one for Luctra wasn't beeping anymore. (AN: The pods stop beeping when any person touches them.)

When he got back into the cave Cato saw Luctra hadn't moved an inch from where he had tossed her down. It was just like when he had found her on the shore. She was lying motionless with her eyes closed on his comforter in just her bra and panties. The animal in him rose in approval at seeing her almost naked on what was technically his bed. He dropped his box on the ground loudly noticing how Luctra flinched at the unexpected loud noise. The animal again gave its approval for Luctra's reaction at the demonstration of dominance. Luctra needed to know who was in charge. Still standing Cato opened her pod. Inside was a small container of medicine with a note.

_For your leg. Apply generously and massage in firmly._

Pulling out the container Cato dropped the pod to the ground and saw Luctra flinch again.

He was banging around so much and Luctra didn't know when one of those bangs would be because he had thrown something at her. She heard him opening something then flinched as something else hit the floor. She clinched her eyes shut tighter. Cato walked up to where Luctra was and sat on his haunches beside her legs. She hadn't opened the wound much, only a little blood was peeking through the areas that had been stressed. Cato reached out and lightly touched her thigh beside the gash.

Luctra felt him touch her and she body flinched away from him expecting some sort of pain, biting her lip in anticipation of having to stifle a scream.

Cato jerked his hand away. She was afraid he was seriously going to hurt her and suddenly he felt like crap. The animal was now ticked off, there was a difference between showing dominance and showing violence. And right now he knew Luctra had interpreted his actions as violence. He had to change that back fast. If she started seeing him as the ruthless killer he would lose hope. Hope that he would be allowed to change. Touching her mid-thigh again, not pulling away when she flinched, he began to trace his fingers around her gash, moving slowly upwards towards her hip, then down the other side closer to the soft skin of her inner thigh. It was his way of apologizing and he hoped she would figure that out.

Luctra had no clue what the hell Cato was doing. One minute he's throwing her around and next he's running his fingers over her thigh. She knew she needed him to calm down and his actions right now told her that he was starting to calm. Trying to communicate her need for 'Calm Cato' Luctra relaxed her tense muscles and let herself enjoy the feel of his hands on her body again. She shivered when his slowly crossed over closer to her inner thigh sending a jolt right to her core. Her hands grabbed the comforter below her.

Feeling her relax and then beginning to respond to his touch Cato knew that Luctra had understood that he was saying sorry and he smiled softly in relief. He saw her stomach twitch as she grabbed fistfuls of the blanket. She was getting aroused again and Cato wanted nothing more then to climb on top of her taking her hands off the blanket and into his so he could feel her grip every time he did something she liked. She was still biting her lip with her eyes closed in a trance while enjoying his fingers running lightly over her leg so Cato chose not to tell her about the medicine. Instead he just popped the lid with the hand that wasn't running up and down her thigh. Putting the open container on the ground beside Luctra's leg he dipped his fingers into the dark green, black flecked paste.

Luctra moaned deeply when she felt Cato spread something wet on her gash. It was so soothing and took away the burning and stabbing pains instantly, it was amazing. Cato's hand had stopped when he heard her moan. He really believed this was some sick torture for him. The animal roared to life demanding to hear her moan like that again for him. Since the waterfall Cato had been getting pieces of information as to what it could be like to be with Luctra physically. The strength of her body would match his as they lost control to their animalistic needs, she would gasp every time he did something unexpected or changed position, her hands would dig into his muscles as she fought the waves of pleasure that ran through her, her lips would part as she panted, the excitement causing her heart to beat wildly, and as he entered her he would hear that moan. The one she was just making as her body welcomed the feeling of relief, but instead of relief from physical pain it would be relief from the pain of her arousal.

Luctra had felt Cato stop spreading whatever it was that was taking her pain away. He was probably still angry with her and now, having something she desperately needed, was going to withhold it from her.

"Please." She breathed softly asking him quietly her eyes still closed. She didn't want to look at him worried he would see it as some sort of challenge. Cato was an alpha male and as she had learned from this morning could be dangerous when provoked the wrong way. Cato swallowed hard. Hearing her asking him to continue was another piece of information to store. Would he be able to drive her to a point where she begged him to take her? The animal puffed at the idea of a challenge because for Luctra to beg for something would take a lot of work. Look how long it had taken her to ask for help with her leg.

Cato dipped his fingers back into the container and continued spreading the medicine over her gash. Her leg began to relax from the pain relief as did the rest of her body. He hadn't realized how much pain she was probably in, she hid it well. Though she was on her back she was slightly propped up on one hip, keeping her bad leg bent over her good one. As Cato traced the gash to the back of her leg Luctra twitched away from his hand. Worried he'd hurt her again he looked to check her face for signs of pain. There was none. Raising his eyebrow he dragged his fingers across the same spot again. Luctra twitched again.  _'She's ticklelish!'_ Cato smiled banking the information for later. He slowly traced two medicine covered fingers down over the gash, feeling her twitch away from him. He moved lower down the gash running over every spot twice where she twitched. At the end of the gash right behind her knee Cato ran his fingers over it and Luctra sucked in a small amount of air in shock. He ran his fingers over the spot again, Luctra's stomach contracting again at the contact.

Luctra was beginning to fall asleep. The pain gone from her leg, her muscles began to relax and Cato's hands running over her thigh caused her body to let go of the tension and fear and ease her into his touch. She felt him tickling her leg as he spread the medicine and when he got to the back of her knee it sent a wave of excitement through her leg. When he did it again her stomach tightened, and so did something much lower. Her body was humming with excitement but exhaustion at the same time. She hadn't slept well the night before having been listening for cannons or another Tribute to the Fallen and then of course her leg had been in excruciating pain. At one point she felt like asking Finnick for a machete to cut it off. Now with her leg healing, completely relaxed and lying on top of the warm down comforter Luctra knew she couldn't fight off the exhaustion.

When Cato came back from washing his fingers off under the falls he found Luctra practically asleep. He could tell she was trying to fight it, but it was a losing battle. Cato crept up to her sleeping form not wanting to startle her. She looked so calm and at peace. Her damp hair splayed out on the comforter, the tension gone from her face, the soft rise and fall of her chest. Cato had never seen her look so vulnerable and young. He realized he didn't know how old she actually was. He would have to ask her. Leaning down, the medicine now dry, Cato pulled the edge of the comforter over Luctra's body covering her. Cato lightly brushed a stray damp lock of hair off her forehead.

"And you still think Thresh is better than me." Cato despaired softly getting up and leaving the cave. His package could wait and he wanted to give Luctra time to sleep. He also needed to think. Walking in the forest later he came across a cruel reminder. This was the Hunger Games.

* * *

Luctra had been on the edge of falling asleep when she felt Cato drape her with the fold of the comforter. She felt so snugly as she started to warm up. She pictured Cato's sardonic look when she had told him he looked snugly yesterday in the comforter. Like it was unmanly, which it was, which is exactly why she had said it. She was too sleepy to be shocked when she felt Cato lightly move some hair out of her face as she fell over the edge of sleep. However she did hear him talk about Thresh and wondered what the hell he was talking about as sleep completely claimed her.

* * *

Cato had been deep in thought, but he wasn't that deep. He may have been more in touch with his human side around Luctra but he was still a trained killer. He heard the light rustling in the bushes and shouted into them.

"I can hear you dipshit." Cato was standing in the same clearing he had pushed Luctra down in yesterday. After having walked around for a few hours it was starting to get dark. He visibly had no weapon but the knife that Brutus had sent him was in his belt on his hip. Cato waited to see if the tribute would run or challenge him. If they ran Cato really didn't plan on chasing them. Apparently taking down the favorite from District 2 was too much of a temptation. The boy from District 6, the one he had cussed out for taking his knife came charging at him from the bushes waving a machete wildly. Cato side stepped the kid letting him fly right by.

"Seriously?" Cato asked the kid in disbelief. "You should have just run dumbass." Cato rolled his eyes and dodged another wild swing. The kid had no idea what he was doing and Cato was bored enough to play with him a little bit.

"It's dark and you don't have a weapon." The boy told him smugly charging at him again. Cato ducked under another wild swing and elbowed the kid in the ribs effectively knocking the wind out of 6 and causing him to drop the machete.

"I am a fucking weapon." Cato coldly told the boy who was now looking at him in pure fear.

* * *

Luctra bolted up at the sound of a cannon going off. Cato was gone. Luctra felt herself panicking and clutched the comforter. Had Cato gone after Dash while she slept? Reaching down to her leg she found that the wound was now completely sealed. The container of medicine was sitting beside her. Reaching out she began spreading more of it onto her leg. She noticed it didn't feel as good as when Cato had put it on.  _'It hurt more before so that's why it felt better.'_  She reasoned with herself. She watched the medicine begin to work. At this rate she should be good to go in a few hours. She heard Cato coming, since he was the only other person that knew about the cave and the person was walking like they knew exactly where they were going. She closed the container and recovered her leg with the comforter. She wiped off the excess medicine on the back side of the comforter and held the comforter to her body.

Cato came around the corner of the cave and stopped seeing Luctra sitting up waiting. Her eyes were openly staring at him in shock.

Luctra looked at Cato who was standing at the entrance to the cave, it was dark but due to the light from the fake moon, amplified from the waterfall she could see him clearly. He was covered in blood splatter. He even had some on his face. As shocking as that was what concerned her more was the blood soaked machete he was carrying in his hand.

Cato looked down. He had completely forgotten he was carrying it. Seeing Luctra sitting up clutching the blanket to her chest her hair disheveled around her had him thinking about what she would look like first thing in the morning after a passionate night of wild sex. He had felt the blood rush south and then froze when he saw the expression on her face.

"Kid from 6." He told her. He felt the need to defend himself with the way she was looking at him. "He attacked me first."

"It's the Hunger Games Cato. Eventually we all attack someone." Luctra told him honestly. She wasn't judging him or calling him a monster as Cato was positive she would. It was also the first time she had ever used his name. Like it was important that he understand her point. He liked how it sounded coming from her. He knew it would sound even better in a moan like he had heard earlier.

"I'm gonna wash off." Cato turned around and walked to the spray just outside the entrance leaning the machete against the stone of the cave entrance. He cleaned off his hands wondering how these could be the same hands that had touched Luctra so gently and then viciously killed someone. He ran his hands under the water and then rubbed them over his face.

' _Great now he has a weapon.'_ The irony that Cato had the machete that she had just been wishing for last night made her wonder if the Gamemakers could read the minds of tributes. At least before she and Cato had been on even grounds, well sort of. Cato could kill her with his bare hands but she would be able to put up a fight, maybe get a few shots in and create space to run. Now the odds were ever in Cato's favour. She really hated that line.

"What did you get?" Luctra distracted him from his thoughts as he came back into the cave. He threw his jacket on the floor. It was covered in blood splatter and didn't want to wear it in front of Luctra as a constant reminder to her that he was a trained killer. He wanted to more for her, though he had no clue why.

"Huh?" He said confused.

"Your sponsor package." Luctra clarified pointing to the box not far from her, because she was technically on 'his side of the cave'.

"Haven't looked yet." Cato went up to the box and opened the lid. Inside was food. There was more than enough food for two people. There was a huge plate of sliced steak, a bowl of cooked vegetables and baby potatoes, chocolate bars and a bottle of some sort of juice. But what caught Cato's eye was the bread. It was a braided loaf of marble rye and it was homemade. Cato knew who had sent the gift and smiled softly. His mom was a crafty lady alright if she had managed to get this sent to him. She would have had to secretly do it because his Dad would not have approved of it and then forced Brutus to send it to him.

"What ever that is it smells amazing." Luctra voice snapped him back to reality. If his mom had sent this to him, with so much, it meant she was watching the games. It was her way of telling him she liked Luctra and that he was supposed to share this with her. His mom had noticed the change because of Luctra and was trying to help it along. Picking up the box Cato moved over and took a seat beside Luctra who had shifted so she was now leaning back against the cave wall, still wrapped in the comforter. Cato bent one leg as he sat against the wall. he placedhis foot behind his opposite knee so he could sit close to Luctra and still place the box in front of him.

"Dinner." He said as he began pulling things out of the box. The camera panned out on the two as they ate. If Luctra ripped off a piece of bread, she handed a piece to Cato, if Cato took a drink from the juice bottle he handed it over to Luctra afterwards. They passed the food back and forth like a well-practiced dance not talking but enjoying the silence of company and a good meal. To anyone watching it would look like the two had done this before they were so in sync. Almost as if they were a couple.

Luctra reached into the box to see what was left. Cato laughed quietly to himself amazed at how Luctra was digging through HIS sponsor gift like it was hers. Not that he minded. It was a good sign that she felt comfortable enough to do that. A sign that she was getting comfortable with him.

"Oh chocolate!" Luctra cheered gleefully like a small child. Chocolate was a luxury in most Districts so she had only had it a few times on special occasions. Cato smiled happy to see her happy. He noticed he smiled a lot more around her, which is probably one of the reasons his mother liked Luctra.

" _ **Being cold will leave you cold and alone Cato**." _ His mother's warning ran through his head. She had told him that the day he had come back after his first two years at the academy for a visit. He had changed into something cold, like his father, and he knew she was trying to stop it from changing him completely.

"One for me and one for you!" Luctra placed a chocolate bar in Cato's hand before ripping the wrapper off of hers. Cato looked at Luctra with a raised eyebrow and half smirk.

"They are both mine technically." Cato teased her putting his hand with the chocolate bar on his lap.

"I take it as payment for putting up with your sorry ass." Luctra shot back breaking off a piece of chocolate and stuffing it in her mouth staring right at Cato as if to say 'whatcha gonna do about it'. Cato laughed, a real laugh, and Luctra found she liked the sound of it. It made him have a boyish charm about him. Cato opened his bar and bit off a large piece, a small smile on his face. Right then Cato made a decision.

"I'm taking you back to the Cornucopia with me." Stated Cato taking another bite of chocolate.

Luctra choked on her chocolate. "You can't be serious." She choked out.

"I'm dead serious." He said chewing on his chocolate and staring straight forward. He was thinking about how to make this work because of Glimmer.

"What good would that do?" Luctra asked tentatively picking up the heavy silver bowl that the vegetables and potatoes had come in. Cato didn't notice her gripping onto it because he was still staring forward working out his plan in his head.

"I've proved to you I'm your only option. Where I go, you go." Cato said emotionless as he thought about why Luctra was probably going to argue with him. Thresh.

Luctra had hoped they had moved past what happened in the elevator. Apparently not, Cato was still after Dash. She made a quick rash decision.

Cato didn't even see it coming until it was too late. All of a sudden something smashed into his face hard blurring his vision. He rolled onto his knees away from Luctra. Putting his head into his hands he tried to gain his bearings. He was now crouched over and disoriented.

"I won't let you kill Dash." Cato heard her say before everything went black.

* * *

Luctra dropped the bowl to the ground after slamming it into the back of Cato's head as she stood over him. After she hit him the first time she scrambled to her feet after him, knowing unless she knocked him out he would stop her from leaving him. Luctra had no idea how much time she had before Cato would regain consciousness so she needed to move fast. She ran over to where her new clothes were throwing on her shirt and pants. She noticed that the only sign of her injury was the dark shiny scar that now ran along her leg and around the back. Pulling on her now dry socks and boots tying them tight, she tossed on her jacket. Looking around she spotted the container of medicine on the floor not far from where Cato was still out cold. Dashing over to it she grabbed it and stuffed it into her jacket pocket. She turned to leave, but stopped. Cato had healed her. Out of respect for that she threw the comforter over him, she didn't know if he would be out long enough to need protection from the cold. She ran out of the cave snatching up the blood covered machete on her way by it and disappeared into the dark forest.

* * *

AN: Did you think that all was going to be peachy keen? HAHAHA NOT! I told you I hadn't forgotten that Cato has a dark side. It's a big part of who he is and I don't think that's a bad thing. Cato and Luctra will meet up in all of the coming chapters so fear not. Once the whole group comes together you will get some serious Luctra/Cato interactions and character explorations. Also people who have problems with females having scars well, go find another story. Even with Capitol medicine there will be scars and this is not the only one Luctra is going to get.

Thanks for people who suggested minor pairings, I have added at least one so far.

Much luv,

Rayn


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

AN: For all of you have been driven nuts by the miscommunication…CLARITY! Well at least for one of them. I have to give credit to my wonderful friend Adelaide who into the wee hours of the morning helped me work out the rest of the story. So as incentive to review know that I do have the outline and will to finish the story, and not leave it for 5 years, but ONLY if I know that people are reading and enjoying it, which I will only know by reviews. Also this is going to be a long story, with a complete follow through.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twelve:

The Choice to Sacrifice

Cato woke up with a pounding head ache. Cato reached up to the sorest spot on the back of his head, touching a bump gingerly, finding that there was something crusted into the hair. Pulling a piece of the crusty stuff off his head he brought it to his face. It took a moment for his eyes to focus, but eventually they did. Dried blood. All the memories of what happened came back to him in a violent sweep.

"BITCH!" Cato furiously shouted into the cave as he stood up throwing the comforter off. The animal was raging and the cave was like a cage containing it. It was furious at her for leaving him now that it knew she was aroused by him. Why Luctra had knocked him out when he told her his plan on taking her back to the Cornucopia? His head was pounding as he went over everything that happened before she had knocked him out. Things had been fine, great even, right before that. What had she said before knocking him out completely?

" _I won't let you kill Dash."_

He did a mental double take, the animal backing down a bit as it let him try to figure things out. What the hell did her District partner have to do with anything? Cato walked to the cave entrance and washed his face in the cool spray. He had a cut at his hairline to, from the first time she smashed him. Calmer now, he was tried to understand what was going on between himself and Luctra, from the very beginning. Things just didn't make sense. Nothing was adding up. If she was aligned with Thresh then why hadn't she fled with him during the bloodbath? No instead she had been there protecting the kid, Dash and left with him. Cato thought back to yesterday when Luctra tried to escape. He so angry he didn't pay attention to much else. ' _Why hadn't she been dressed?'_  Wait was her gift beeping when he went to get it. No it hadn't been. That means someone had to have touched it….

He thought over their other arguments.

Luctra had used the word love to talk about Thresh in the argument they had before he brought her into the cave. But Thresh and Luctra hadn't known each other before the games. And judging by his time with her Luctra wasn't someone to go for the love at first sight bullshit, so it would have to be someone she had a deep connection with. She was fiercely loyal to people but from what he saw that was either for people she deeply cared for, or that she had decided to protect at any cost. But Thresh didn't need her protection. Who would she risk standing up to him for, who did she feel was worth dying for instead of joining him? She also said that she knew she meant a lot to that person…

"Ugghhh Cato you're a dumb fuck." He scolded himself burying his face in his hands.

* * *

"You sure are!" Diamond yelled at the screen. It was only her and Gem in the room since Finnick had gone for some much needed rest, at Petal's order, when Luctra had been sleeping. Dash was in good hands with Rue and they promised Finnick that they would come and get him if something happened. They were going to wake Finnick up when Luctra knocked out Cato, but there were no other tributes around, she was healthy and on the run from Cato who had been knocked out for a while so they didn't….

"SHE KNOCKED OUT CATO AND YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO COME AND GET ME!" Finnick shouted as he stormed into the District 4 control room and Petal following close behind.

"She made it out just fine. Plus we didn't think you wanted to see the other part." Petal mused, not making eye contact with Finnick as she sat down at the table.

"What other part?" Finnick coldly asked.

"Watch the replay on the control panel." Gem simply said. He didn't want to be the one to tell Finnick about how Luctra had obviously been turned on by Cato with the medicine situation; Finnick had almost had an aneurism with the whole waterfall leg cleaning bit.

* * *

"You have a very dangerous mess on your hands Seneca." President Snow said sitting at his desk.

"I'm not sure what you mean? The people are loving it. We have had our highest ratings to date." Seneca said confused. Snow looked darkly at the Head Gamemaker.

"You have three things, while highly dangerous on their own, if they are combined can turn a mountain to dust." Snow told him. Seneca continued to look confused. Snow continued.

"The people see hope in the pair from 12 as star-crossed lovers fighting to be together, in the young pair the boy from 4 and girl from 11 you have innocence and purity, and of course there is the 'couple of legend'; in them you have the danger of change. Together they amass in an explosive combination." Snow said monotone, but Seneca could hear the undertone warning in Snow's voice.

"That is?" Seneca was afraid to hear the answer.

"It gives people the hope that change is possible when the motivation is to protect the innocent." Snow was emotionless as he spoke. Seneca swallowed uneasily.

"All it takes is a small spark. One event to trigger the fire, and then chaos follows." Snow finished.

* * *

Luctra ran through the forest. She had no idea where was she was going except it was away from the waterfall and in the opposite direction of where she thought the wheat field was. She knew Dash planned on staying away from that part. She had been on the move since she left Cato at the cave. It was almost noon. She hadn't stopped running since dawn afraid she would hear Cato crashing through the forest behind her, out for her blood. She had her hood up over her head to make her blend in with the night but hadn't taken it down yet. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath. The machete was starting to feel heavy in her hand from running with it.

 ***SLAP*** All of a sudden something violently struck the back of her hand that was carrying the machete. Her hand snapped open at the strike and dropped the machete. A sling shot bead landed in the dirt not far from her, having bounced off her hand.

"HOLY SHIT OW!" She cried throwing back her hood shaking out her hand. There was someone out there, she began to scan the area.

"LUC'S!"

"DASH?" She cried happily into the trees, which is where she heard the voice come from. To her left she heard the telling sounds of someone scrambling down a tree. A few seconds later Dash's feet hit the forest floor and he ran right into her open her arms almost knocking her over. Luctra held onto him for dear life. Looking at the sky she mouthed a silent thank you as tears of relief filled her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're ok." She whispered quietly into his hair as she continued to hold him. Dash pulled back a little bit. Luctra wiped away the tears on her sleeve.

"We're fine. I was really worried about you." Dash had been listening for cannons and watching for Luctra's face in the sky. "I thought it was you when I heard the cannon."

"Nah that was the idiot from 6. And what do you mean 'we'?" Luctra was pretty sure she knew the answer but wasn't expecting the blush on Dash's face at the question. Dash wouldn't meet Luctra's eyes.

"Did you find Rue?" She asked when he still didn't answer.

"Yeah he did." A small voice called from above them. Luctra looked up. She couldn't figure out where the girl was. Luctra smirked

"Tarzan found Jane." Luctra teased in her best ape voice looking back at Dash. Dash punched her arm and told her to 'shut up'.

"Ruby Rue you can come down!" Dash shouted up to the trees moving away from Luctra.

"Coming Dash Bash." The voice called down again. Luctra eyebrows shot into her hairline as she stared at Dash. Dash looked down from the trees to Luctra's face.

"Don't say a word." Dash threatened pointing a finger at Luctra. Luctra held her hands up in mock surrender. They were just so damn cute! Pet names. She wondered how Cato would have reacted…no she couldn't go down that thought path right now. Luctra saw Rue slid down from the same tree Dash had moments ago. Rue just stood at the base of the tree facing them and looking at them two of them unsure.

"Hi. Sorry we didn't get to talk much back in the Capitol. I'm Luctra Dash Bash's personal Hunger Games body guard." Luctra said warmly. Dash elbowed her in the stomach, causing Luctra to bend slightly and a rush of air to leave her mouth. Apparently this pet name was reserved for Rue's use only Luctra mentally noted. The interaction between herself and Dash seemed to put Rue at ease.

"I know. You're the girl they call the 'Goddess of the Games'." Rue walked up towards them standing beside Dash.

"Ughh…I'm never going to live that down am I?" Luctra wailed burying her face in her hands.

"Not a chance." Dash proclaimed. Luctra looked up from her hands and mock glared at him. Rue laughed at the two of them. Looking up at Rue and smiling Luctra walked over and picked up the machete.

"You must have a slingshot." Luctra said to Rue holding up her hand that had a round red welt on it to Rue. Rue looked down sheepishly.

"Sorry about that. We couldn't tell who you were with the hood on." Rue was worried Luctra would be mad with her.

"Not a problem. You're a really good shot." Luctra shaking her hand out for emphasis. It would probably bruise. Rue beamed at the compliment and Dash nudged Rue with his shoulder affectionately. Luctra was sure she had a lunatic grin on her face right now watching the two kids.

* * *

"Hey look it's Cliffhanger Cato!" Marvel shouted as Cato came through the trees around the Cornucopia.

"Piss off asshole." Cato grumbled walking up the group. He didn't stop or greet any of them. He walked right up to the medical container and began to rummage through it.

"So gonna tell us what happened?" Clove ventured from behind Cato.

"She's still alive." Cato grumbled. He found what he was looking for. A bottle of aspirin. He popped 4 into his mouth. His head was bad but he knew it would get worse with Glimmer around again.

"How come?" Clove pushed.

"Why isn't Fire Girl dead?" Cato retaliated looking over his shoulder at Clove. Clove just huffed and made no reply. Peeta walked off to check out the spears on the weapons racks not wanting to hear more about killing Katniss.

"That's what I thought." Cato said. "At least I killed 6 while I was gone."

Cato rubbed his temples. His head was pounding. From both Luctra smashing him over the head and from figuring out that all their problems had started because they hadn't been clear enough about which 'he' they were each talking about.  _'Fucking pronouns.'_  Cato thought angrily.

"We leave first thing in the morning and we're not coming back till we find her." Cato ordered coldly walking off.

Clove stared at Cato's back as Cato head over to the food bins. She wasn't sure which 'her' Cato was talking about. There was no way he should have been gone that long if 4 had gotten away from him, and even if he had dragged out 6's death he should have been back to the Cornucopia a long time ago. No, something was up and she knew it had to do with the 'Goddess'. Cato didn't know it but Clove had seen his full reaction on the chariot grounds when 4 had come through. Also how pissed he got at 4's declining to join their alliance was more then just being mad about losing an ally.

"Hey Cato you smash your head on a rock?" Marvel shot seeing the dried blood on on the back of Cato's head. Cato just flipped Marvel off and kept walking. A minute later Cato heard beeping. Looking up he saw a parachute with a small pod coming down. The pod had a '2' on it. Cato caught it as it flew down to him.

"Whatcha get?" Marvel walked up to stand beside Cato. Actually the rest of the Careers had gathered around him to see what he got. The others hadn't received much in the way of sponsors since they literally had control over all the supplies in the games. Opening the pod Cato pulled out a small container of pudding. He knew exactly who this was from and what it meant. Cato was enraged. He threw down the pod and pudding, spilling the pudding everywhere and stormed off. Marvel and Clove looked at each other. They knew what the pudding meant. Whoever had sent it was sending the clear message to Cato that they thought Cato had gone soft.

"What was wrong with the pudding?" Glimmer said confused. Clove blinked a couple times. Glimmer couldn't really be THAT stupid.

"Wasn't the flavour he wanted." Marvel responded.

"Oh well that sucks." She said sympathetically.

Yup, Glimmer really was that stupid.

* * *

"And then the hot chocolate came. Rue had never had any so…." Luctra was walking between Dash and Rue as they both filled her in on what had happened while she was gone. The just didn't seem to stop talking. When one took a pause the other picked up where the story left off. It was really cute and Luctra was enjoying being around them. Luctra shifted the backpack on her shoulders. She was impressed that Dash had managed to keep both backpacks. Rue also had one she had picked up somewhere. Between the three of them they had a good amount of survival supplies.

"We should find a place to settle for the night." Luctra cut Dash off as she watched the sun get lower on the horizon. Was it her or was it setting a little early.

"The Gamemakers must want to get to tomorrow quickly." Rue said nervously. Luctra was about to reply when she heard it.

"DOWN!" She yelled dropping to the ground taking both Dash and Rue down with her; covering their bodies with hers. A spear flew over where they had all just been standing and embedded itself in the far tree. Luctra snapped her head up to where the spear had come from. She heard fast footfalls crashing in the other direction. Whoever had thrown that was now running away. Luctra waited a second before getting off of Rue and Dash making sure the threat was really gone before letting them stand up. Rue and Dash stood up and patted the dirt off each others clothes.

"You okay Ruby Rue?" Dash pulled a leaf out of Rue's hair. "You bet Dash Bash." They smiled to each other. Luctra smiled, there was nothing in the world as pure as the friendship between those two. For the two of them the Hunger Games was a double blow. It had sadly brought them together and it was going to violently rip them apart. At that thought Luctra's face became intense as she walked over to the spear.

"Why did they run?" Dash asked as he watched Luctra pull the spear out of the tree.

"Because they missed me." Luctra said examining the spear, it was still in perfect condition. "Even though you guys are with me the person knew that they would lose if they tried going head to head with me."

"So they threw it hoping to take you out, then they could kill us easier afterwards." Rue concluded. She was a little thrown, physically and mentally. It was the closest she had come to real danger so far in the Games.

"Exactly. That's why the throw was so high. They hoped it would sail right over you Rue, and into me." Luctra walked up the kids looking them over to make sure they were both okay. She handed the machete to Dash. She was the only one that could use the spear so it made more sense for her to carry it.

"You both okay? I didn't squish you too much?" Luctra worried as they began walking again in the opposite direction from where the person had run into the woods.

"No." Rue told her.

"I think you punctured my spleen." Dash said dramatically holding his side.

"Dash that's not where your spleen is." Luctra laughed and said.

"That's where it got squished to." Dash responded without missing a beat. They all laughed together forgetting for a moment that they were laughing at the fact someone had just failed to kill them.

About 40 minutes later they found an acceptable place to set up camp. Luctra pulled off her backpack and took out the pot.

"Can you get out the soup Dash?" Luctra was looking around picking up sticks and twigs to start a fire with. Rue and Dash had told Luctra they had stayed in the trees the whole time. It was the best move for them, but it did mean they had survived off the protein bars and the stuff Dash's sponsors had sent him. The Capitol ladies were apparently very concerned about Dash not going hungry.

"I'll get some better wood for the fire." Rue offered as she headed into the woods. Luctra wasn't worried because Rue had amazing survival skills. Rue had actually found Dash as he was about to walk through a patch of poison Oak Fallate, which apparently caused someone to itch so violently that they would scratch their skin off trying to get relief if it was left untreated.

"She's sweet." Luctra said without looking up from the backpack as she searched for the flint.

"Yeah. And super smart." Dash probably didn't realize he was gushing, so Luctra bit her lip to stop from laughing.  _'So cute, So cute, don't giggle, don't giggle!'_  She order herself.

"I'm glad she's your friend. These games take the humanity of people and destroy it. You two have decided that humanity is more precious than the prize of living as a victor. That eases my soul a little bit." Luctra still didn't look up from her backpack as she continued to dig for the flint. Dash got a sad look in his eyes. He knew that Luctra had a big heart and that part of it had died when she had to kill the boy from 7.

"I'm sorry you had to." Luctra looked up from the bag in question. "That you had to kill that boy from 7." He finished. Luctra sighed and put the bag down flint in hand.

"I made a choice Dash. I chose to take a life in order to save one. I don't regret the choice, but I regret the circumstances that forced that choice." Luctra was walking a fine line between talking about the fact the boy had tried to kill Dash and about the Hunger Games themselves. Rue came back successfully ending the conversation. They lit a fire and using the water from the canteen Luctra cooked up the beef barely soup for Rue and Dash.

"Don't you need some?" Rue questioned as she ate out of Dash's oatmeal bowl. Dash was drinking his out of the thermos his hot chocolate had come in.

"No. I had a big sponsor meal last night." Luctra wasn't exactly lying. She just didn't tell them that it wasn't from her sponsors. They were too young to understand, hell even she didn't understand what had happened. After he finished his soup Dash left to go do some 'boy business' and Rue took the chance to ask Luctra a question that had been bugging her.

"Why did you save me?" Luctra's head turned up from where she was stomping out the fire. Rue's voice had been so quiet that she had barely heard it.

"You mean from the spear?" Luctra turned back and continued stomping out the embers.

"Yeah." Rue continued seeing that Luctra wasn't mad at her for asking. "You could have just pulled Dash down, but you grabbed both of us."

Sighing Luctra stamped out the last ember. Wiping off her boots she walked up to where Rue was sitting and kneeled in front of her. Luctra looked into Rue's eyes. Luctra knew that her mother, back in District 4 was going to be yelling and sobbing at the screen when she heard what Luctra was about to say. She spoke to Rue strongly but softly.

"Because I made a choice when I was Reaped." She had Rue's full attention. "I chose to save a life when I had the option to let it be taken instead." Rue saw nothing but truth in Luctra's eyes. "I decided I would protect Dash not only from death, but from the Games themselves. He has a pure and innocent heart, just like you." Luctra smiled putting her pointer finger on Rue's heart. Rue smiled back at the compliment. Luctra pulled her hand back and looked at both her hands. "I will spill blood with my hands as needed so that both you and Dash won't have to, a guilt I can spare you of. There are so few things left in this world that are purely good. You and Dash are one of those things, as is your friendship." Luctra looked up at Rue and took one of Rue's braids between her fingers and twisted it affectionately, like Rue's mom would do at home, though Luctra didn't know that. "When I die I want to know I died protecting something that matters, that I left something behind in this world that makes it better. You and Dash are what I plan on leaving behind."

Rue's eyes got big. She couldn't believe what Luctra was saying. "You've decided to die?"

"No." Luctra corrected. "I've decided how I die. I will die knowing I made a sacrifice to protect something that matters more than I do."

"But how can you…" Rue started.

"When you truly love something you will sacrifice everything to protect it. A lot of kids in this Hunger Games are making those sacrifices. Katniss for her sister, Peeta for Katniss, myself for Dash, and I know Dash would do the same for you, and since you matter to him so much I make the same sacrifice for you." Luctra finished with a sad smile on her face. No one liked the idea of dying, and she was terrified at the idea. She knew that when the time came she would feel sad that her time had run out. But Dash and Rue mattered more than her fear and sadness.

"Why are the kids making all the sacrifices?" Rue felt a tear slip from her eye. Rue wondered why Luctra, who barely knew her, was going to die for her. How could a person be so willing to save others in the Games, when no one in District 11 had been willing to save her. The people that had known her all her life.

"Because kids tend to see things in black and white. Our view of right and wrong hasn't been corrupted yet. It's what makes us choose to make sacrifices. We know what is right and what is wrong. And some of us are choosing to do something about it when we know something is wrong." Luctra told her as she wiped away Rue's tear with her thumb.

"But you'll die." Rue whispered as if saying it out loud would make it true.

"And you need to understand. I am at peace with that." Luctra didn't know, but her words had begun a chain reaction starting in the most unexpected place. She had become the spark

* * *

"Finnick District 7 has begun to rebel." Haymitch told him privately. He had been surprised, like most, when the chick from 4 had asked for forgiveness after taking the kids life protecting her 'son' and that the kid from 7 had forgiven her. It had woken something up in people, and surprisingly District 7 had reacted in a way that shocked him. The 'Goddess of the Games' had reminded the people that they were humans, real people, in a Game that wasn't a game. It was life or death and it was wrong. Her little speech now would probably have a ripple affect, hell it had made him put down the bottle, well the second bottle.

"It's time we got involved." Finnick declared. Luctra had put almost every adult to shame in all of Panem, including him. How many kids had he mentored only to watch them die? They had all watched kids be ripped from their families sent to die and done nothing to stop it. It was time that all of this came to an end. He just hoped they could get Luctra and Dash out before it was too late.

* * *

"Cato I'm so glad your back!" Glimmer cooed at him for the hundredth time. He had tried to get away from her but she kept following him. He swore if he jumped into one of the cargo bins she would crawl into it with him. Right now they were all getting into their sleeping bags, Clove having first watch.

Laying down Cato made sure to put some distance between his bag and Glimmer's. A few minutes later he felt something shift into his side. Opening his eyes he saw that Glimmer had shimmied next to him. He shimmied away annoyed. A few minutes later he felt Glimmer shimmy next to him again. Cato heard Clove laughing. He glared at her over the top of his sleeping bag.

"You look like fucking inch worms!" Clove clutched her stomach she was laughing so hard. Cato rolled his eyes and shimmied away from Glimmer again. He didn't notice how close he was too Marvel until he had practically shimmied on top of the kid.

"AAHHH DUDE I SOOOO DON'T LIKE YOU THAT WAY!" Marvel shouted rolling away with his sleeping bag around him. Clove was now almost pissing herself she was laughing so hard. Cato let out a ferocious growl and tore out of his sleeping bag. Picking up the sword that he slept with in his sleeping bag he got up and drove the sword into the end of Glimmer's sleeping bag and into the earth, not caring if he got her feet, pinning the bag to the ground.

"NOW JUST STAY RIGHT FUCKING THERE!" Cato fumed storming off to the other side of the Cornucopia.

Glimmer had squeaked out in shock when the sword had been stabbed into her bag, just missing her feet, but she didn't sit up since her face was red with embarrassment because Cato had just loudly and publicly rejected her. She bet all of Panem was laughing at her right now. Being Glimmer she thought that it obviously had nothing to do with her. It was that bitch from 4's fault. If Cato hadn't seen her with a broken nose he would be attracted to her.

Cato went and laid down on one of the containers and stared at the artificial sky. He knew that the pudding earlier had been from his father. It was amazing how different his parents were. On one side his mother was happy he had been whatever it was, with Luctra while his father had seen it as Cato being weak.

"I wasn't even supposed to be here." He muttered to himself. He ran his fingers through his hair, hitting the cut on his forehead from where Luctra had smashed him with the bowl the first time. It was kinda funny to him now how Killer Cato had been taken down by a serving dish. After he had figured out the HUGE misunderstanding between them he thought about the situation differently. He respected her tenacity in protecting her partner and her willingness to give up her life for the kid. What he was really wondering about though is why she had covered him up before she left? He held onto the small hope that she had done it because she, on some weird level, cared.

He reflected back on when they were under the waterfall together. He envisioned how she had arched back into the spray, her nipples hard, pushing her pelvis into his with his hands gripping and grounding her hips. Just like he would have a girl do when he decided they were worthy of him hitting 'that' spot. He felt a tightening in his groin as he thought of Luctra bent backwards, crying out his name as he hit 'the' spot over and over again. Begging for him not to stop until she exploded with pleasure her body shaking in his arms from the intensity. He wanted to see the look in her eyes when he made her orgasm.

Under the waterfall her eyes had been full of confusion, a little fear at the unknown, and lust. From her eyes he could tell she was so inexperienced and that all of it had been new to her. Every touch, every wave of pleasure, were the first, or at least the best she had ever felt. Cato felt his groin pulse a bit more and the animal rumbled possessively at the thought that he could be the only man ever to have his member surround by her tight, hot, wet walls. The things he could teach her to do, thinking of them made his heartbeat pick up. Her eyes big and full of excitement as she submitted to his prowess letting him take control and bring her to new levels of pleasure. He recalled her staring at him while he cleaned out her leg. The way her lips had parted as she tried to control her breathing. Cato wanted to taste those lips and to watch as her hot mouth tasted his skin and feel her teeth graze his muscles. He brought up the image of her breasts rising and falling quickly with excited breaths, what Cato wouldn't do to have reached out and massaged one of her mounds in his large hands. He could just see her biting her lip and throwing her head back as his rough palm dragged across her nipple, the friction driving her wild.

Cato needed to calm down. He was almost half way to an erection that he would have to deal with in a...hands on way. He thought about their last meal together instead. How she had left the more charred edges of the steak for him because she saw he liked them best, or how she would wait till he looked like he was done with a dish before trading off with him. Cato smiled to himself at the memory. He remembered how her face had lit up when she found the chocolate. He felt a calm wash over him picturing her genuine smile. In his time with Luctra Cato had felt a dead part of him come back to life. The hold the sadistic killer persona had on him and his life had almost been destroyed. All because of a girl who took no shit from anyone but would die for anyone she loved. Luctra just had this natural aura that drew people too her because being around her just made a person feel like they were cared about. Cato fell asleep on the container with a smile on his face as he dreamed of a girl with hazel eyes showering under a waterfall.

* * *

AN:Just so you know I tend to write my chapters ahead of time and then go back and edited. They will be reunited in the next chapter for sure! Who threw the spear at them? Well you have to review to find out. I'm sticking to my guns on the number thing!

Luv

Rayn


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen:

Beating back the Fire only to Start Another

Luctra woke up with a start that morning. Something was wrong. Her instincts were screaming at her that trouble was close. Luctra crawled out from under the uprooted tree she had spent the night hiding under. She had refused to take rope from either Dash or Rue. She told them they were better off in the trees then she was so they should take the rope, the uprooted tree was more than adequate to sleep under and remain concealed to anyone who may walk by. Both Dash and Rue were still on their branches secured with rope so that wasn't what was setting her off. So what had woken her up? Then she smelled it.

"DASH! RUE! WAKE UP WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Luctra cried frantically running to get her bag and weapons out from under the tree. She threw the bow and quiver on her back and picked up the spear. They had put all the other stuff into Rue and Dash's backpacks, Luctra's argument was that she was very well sponsored so if they got separated she wouldn't need it as badly. She heard two thumps land behind her.

"What's wrong?" Dash asked panicked. Looking around he didn't see or hear any tributes. Apparently Rue had figured it out because she had gone deadly still.

"Forest fire." Rue whispered in horror. Rue barely had time to say it before the group of them took off running. Behind them the forest was ablaze.

* * *

Luctra was sure the Gamemakers were purposely trying to kill her, maybe for what she had said to Rue the other day. Talking shit about the Games probably wasn't the best idea, and now she was in a forest fire, with fireballs. Being from a water District Luctra had a personal dislike for fire. That she had lit herself on fire once, but that was another story. Luctra pushed Dash and Rue down as another fireball flew over them.  _'THEY'RE USING FUCKING FIRE BALLS!_  She screamed in her head. Like a forest fire JUST wasn't deadly enough. They all scrambled up and kept running.

They had to hop over fallen trees and dash between blazing ones but they never stopped moving. It was so hot and the smoke was making it impossible to breath."WE HAVE TO GET TO THE RIVER!" Dash shouted over the roar of the blaze surrounding them. Luctra kept behind the two kids needing to make sure that if one of them fell she was there to pick them up.

"AHHH!" Rue screamed as a burning log fell knocking her to the ground. Luctra ran up and tossed her spear to Dash who had stopped when he heard Rue scream. "TAKE THAT I'VE GOT HER!" She shouted to him. Luctra ran up to the log. It had pinned Rue to the ground. Without a second thought she grabbed the medium log and hauled it off of Rue not paying attention as the heat burned through her hands. She scooped Rue up into her arms and continued running with a new determination, they could try to kill her but she would give them one hell of a fight for trying to take out the kids while she still breathed. Luctra felt the now raw skin on her hands tearing. They had been burned badly and were now chafing against the fabric of Rue's clothing, but Luctra's hold didn't loosen for a moment.

"I got you baby girl. I always got you." She promised. Luctra didn't even know if Rue could hear her over the fire. Luctra would not let go, even if the skin on her hands was torn off right down to her bones.

* * *

District 11 watched the screen intently. A horrified gasp ran through the crowd as they watched their Rue get pinned under the burning log, assuming that this was the end for the little girl. The comments about sacrifice made by the 'Goddess of the Games' to their Rue had struck a chord of shame, guilt, and regret deep within the District. The group held its breath, then cried out in astonishment as the 'Goddess' grabbed the log barehanded and threw it off of Rue. District 11 was witnessing the truth behind the 'Goddess of the Games' words, she would actually die for Rue; she was going to make the sacrifices she had promised.

Awestruck they watched the 'Goddess' pick up Rue with severely wounded hands without a second thought. On the screen before them Luctra ran through the blazing forest blood spilling from her hands as they ripped open from her refusal to drop Rue. The camera went to slow motion. The arena blazed around around Luctra as she thundered through the forest her face set in determined defiance against the Gamemakers for attempting to kill Rue before her. She was a vision of strength and hope in world burning to the ground. At that moment something broke in District 11. It was the chains of bondage.

"THE SACRIFICE OF THE GODDESS BE NOT IN VAIN!" One man cried out turning the crowd against the Peacekeepers. Enough, was enough, sacrifices had to start being made by the adults and not just the children.

It was the ripple Haymitch had predicted and the spark Snow feared. Luctra was now the living spirit of sacrifice as all of Panem had watched her challenge the fires of hell, created by the Capitol, to save the innocent girl no matter what the cost to her was.

* * *

They crashed out of the trees together exhausted and struggling to breath. They all tumbled into the river and swam to a large flagstone that protruded out, over the on other side river trying to get as far away from the fire as possible. The cool water felt good against their burning skin and they took a moment to enjoy it.

"GET HER! GET BACK HERE GIRL ON FIRE!

"WHAT THE FIRE TO HOT FOR YOU NOW?"

Luctra looked up to Rue and Dash. The Careers were heading this way and by the sound of it they were closing in on Katniss. Luctra wasn't going to be able to fight them off with the current state of her hands, especially now that Cato probably had an even bigger personal vendetta against her. She began to panic.

"Under here!" Rue whispered urgently. Luctra looked over and saw Rue had backed up under the overhanging flagstone. Her body was completely submerged under the water and her head was just above the water line. The flagstone would hide their heads and if they were lucky the Careers would be so focused on Katniss they would pass right by being none the wiser. Dash and Luctra quickly joined Rue under the flagstone. They waited being as still as possible needing the water to be completely still around them. Luctra clamped her burned and ripped hand over Rue's mouth when Rue was about to gasp. Not far from them, Katniss had trudged into the river trying to escape the Careers who had spotted her. She had clearly been in the fire and had been burned. Luctra could tell Katniss was favouring one leg.

"THERE SHE IS!"

Luctra thought her heart was going to explode. The Careers were literally right above them. If the Careers ran into the water and turned around for any reason, they would find her and the kids. They all held their breath. Luctra watched as Katniss pulled herself out of the water down river from them and ran into the not on fire side of the forest.

"GET HER!" Luctra heard Clove yell as the Careers ran off down the shoreline after Katniss. Luctra waited for a while, wanting to be completely sure that the Careers were all gone before she let the kids emerge.

"Let me go first." Luctra whispered slowly moving out from under the flagstone. She stayed low in the water moving out further until she could turn and see the top of the flagstone that the kids were hiding under, where the Careers had been. There was no one there. Standing up, the water was only waist deep; she began moving back to the flagstone. She was about to tell them to come out when 10 suddenly broke through the bushes, ran full speed off the flagstone and tackled Luctra backwards into the water pulling her under with him. Luctra managed to throw the boy from 10 off her under water and stand up again violently breaking the surface. She looked right to Dash and Rue.

"Go. Don't look back!" She begged them just as an arm wrapped around her throat from behind. Dash and Rue got out from under the flagstone and ran into the forest. Once about 50 yards in they climbed up a tree and waited. He felt guilty for leaving Luctra but Dash knew that they would probably cause her to focus on them and not on beating 10 if they had stayed. Dash also didn't want Rue to have to witness someone being killed. It was traumatic, even if the person you loved was doing because they were attacked and trying to save your life.

* * *

Luctra was in a bad situation. She was exhausted from running, could barely breath because of all the smoke in her lungs, and her hands were shredded. She dove under the water bring the kid from 10 who was on her back under with her. She went into the death roll, like the alligators did. She spun herself around and around under water till she felt 10 let go. She stood up and broke the surface again, closer to the flagstone now, 10 surfacing right beside her. She punched him in the jaw. His head snapped backwards. When he brought his head back she smashed her other fist into his eye. 10 reeled back and then tackled her again. The front of her head caught on the flagstone, cutting her across the forehead. As she was going down she turned and pulled 10 underneath her by his arm. She grabbed onto his jacket collar once he was in front of her and crashed his body below her body into the water. Gaining her footing on the river floor Luctra placed her feet on either side of 10's body. Standing she suspended 10 in the water so 10 couldn't push off the bottom of the river. She held 10 down so his head was completely under water. He tore at her arms, desperately trying to bring his head above water. Her hands protested in pain but she held on. She had to. His struggles got weaker and weaker until eventually they stopped altogether. A second after that she heard the cannon go off. The tribute from 10 was dead, by her hands.

* * *

They were at the base of the tree that Katniss had climed up when Cato heard the cannon go off. They all looked around confused. None of them had died.

"Did she die?" Glimmer questioned clearly confused.

"Yes Glimmer. The fact that she is still moving, breathing and taunting Cato is all an ILLUSION." Marvel waved his hands when he said 'illusion' in front of Glimmer's face. Cato rolled his eyes, he was really regretting not stabbing Glimmer with his sword last night.

"It was another tribute Glimmer." Peeta calmly said trying not to look at Katniss. He had seen the look of betrayal in her eyes when she saw him at the base of the tree with the Careers. She was burned, badly, and there was nothing he could do about it, the physical burn or the burn of betrayal she was probably feeling.

"Go get water Lover Boy, since we're gonna be waiting her out." Cato ordered getting comfy at the base of the tree. Peeta nodded looking up at Katniss sadly. He wished she would understand he was doing this to protect her. It was a short walk to the river so Peeta made it there in no time with all the canteens. He was startled while he filled one of the canteens when something floated into his hand. He almost yelled when he saw it was the body of the boy from 10 floating down the river.

"So the cannon went off for him." Peeta breathed out slightly relieved, then nudged the body away with the open mouth of Glimmer's canteen. 10 wasn't someone he liked. Meaning it wasn't Katniss or the girl from 4. The girl from 4 was the person he would want to win if Katniss and he died. The way she looked after her partner, it reminded him of Katniss, but it was deeper. Just being around 4 made him feel like someone cared even when he hadn't talked to her yet. For Luctra protecting and caring for people seemed as natural as breathing and a person could feel it when she walked into a room. Peeta sighed. He was about to start filling a new canteen when he heard coughing. Looking up he saw her. The girl from 4 was collapsed on a flagstone up stream. He had to warn her that the Careers were close by. Getting up he quickly ran down the shore with his canteen.

Luctra heard someone coming down the shore, but it was from the wrong direction for it to be either Dash or Rue. Looking up she saw it was Peeta. He had probably heard her coughing. She relaxed into her pain knowing he wasn't a threat to her right now.

"Did Katniss get away?" She croaked out to him when he got to her side. Her throat was dry and raw from the smoke. Peeta was surprised that she knew that Katniss had come by and that the Careers had been chasing Katniss. She must have been in the river before all of them got here.

"They chased her up a tree." Peeta told her giving her his canteen to drink out of. It had a purifier so it was safe. Luctra took a long gulp.

"No one tried to climb it?" She questioned surprised and handed the canteen back to him. Peeta smiled with boyish charm.

"Cato did. Branch broke. He fell flat on his ass." Peeta laughed. "Marvel calls it the 'Crashing Cato'." Luctra laughed with him but it quickly turned into a coughing fit. Peeta rubbed her back.

"He must be livid." She said between coughs.

"Pretty much." Peeta was wondering something. "Cato jumped off the cliff after you, did he ever find you?"

"Yes." Luctra saw Peeta's shocked face. "I don't know why, but he didn't kill me. Under that monster persona there is a real person. Just be careful, you can never tell what will make him switch from one to the other." She warned him. Peeta nodded.

"I have to get back." Peeta urged and helped Luctra stand up. He didn't want one of the Careers to come looking for him and find them like this. That's when he noticed her hands. Luctra saw him staring at her hands, which she hadn't even seen the damage of yet. She didn't want to look at them right now.

"Pulled a burning log off Rue." Luctra said nonchalantly and shrugged. Peeta looked up to her face shocked again. She was protecting both Dash and Rue? His respect for her had just hit an idolizing level.

"You can't save everyone." Peeta told her sadly. He was having trouble just trying to save Katniss.

"No. But I can die trying." She teased him and then began laughing. It wasn't all that funny to Peeta because it had truth to it, but Luctra sure thought it was and laughed for a good 30 seconds. Peeta shook his head smiling at her weirdness.

"Good luck and may…" Peeta started.

"You finish that sentence and I'm going to punch you." Luctra cut him off sternly. "How about 'Good luck and I'll be seeing you." She suggested. Peeta smiled and put out his hand.

"Good luck and I'll be seeing you." Luctra looked down at his hand. He had forgotten about hers. So she did what she thought he probably needed the most right now. She gave him a big hug. Peeta was surprised at first when Luctra threw her arms around him. In an arena full of death it was a rare thing to find someone who would give you an honest hug when you were stuck in a shitty situation. Peeta hugged her back tightly. Luctra pulled back and gave him a nudge with her wrist.

"Now go save your fire princess from her tree tower guarded by Crashing Cato and raccoon Glimmer." She smirked and took off into the woods leaving Peeta to head back to the Careers. Peeta grabbed the canteens and heading back with a laugh and a new sense of hope.

* * *

Luctra ran into the woods where Dash and Rue had gone earlier. Like before as she ran under a certain area of trees she heard them call to her.

"Luc's! Up here!" Dash called. He couldn't be too loud with the Careers being so close. Luctra stopped.

"Hey I can't climb up." She told him lifting her hands up in the general direction of the voice. She heard two gasps of shock. Maybe she shouldn't have shown them.

"Luctra those are really bad." Rue felt guilty because she knew they were because Luctra had lifted the burning log to save her.

"Hey no feeling guilty Missy." Luctra playfully chastised Rue who was somewhere in the trees.

Both Dash and Rue came out of the trees and stood in front of Luctra. Each of them grabbed one of her hands and inspected her palms and fingers. Luctra took her first look at her hands. They were both an angry red and covered with blisters. Some of the blisters were open, some of them were closed, some places were bleeding; skin was torn or gone in different spots. The skin had also started to dry and tighten. In about 15 minutes she wasn't going to be able to close and open her hands. That meant no weapons and no fist fighting. She thought for a second. Would her Capitol medicine work? She shook her head lightly. She couldn't risk it. It could make her hands worse, or do nothing and she would have wasted something she might desperately need later on.

"I know some plants that will help!" Rue told her excitedly. She was happy she could help out Luctra even if it was in this small way.

"That would be great but, we need to be really careful. The Careers have Katniss chased up a tree not far from here." Luctra informed them hushed. She watched as Dash and Rue looked to each other. They having a silently conversation with their eyes and coming to an agreement. They both turned to her. Luctra knew she wasn't going to like what they were about to tell her.

"We want to help Katniss." Lutra gaped at them. Dash thought she looked like a fish with the way her mouth kept opening and closing.

"No." She told them flatly. Dash got that look on his face again. The same face he gave her when he told her to eat the oatmeal or he would drop it.

"You have saved us so many times. And Katniss did for her sister what you're doing for us." Dash argued. To Luctra it was two different things, her and Katniss, but the kids wanted to fight for something. She ground her teeth hard.

"We're making our choice." Rue finished. Luctra was in shock and backed into a corner. The little girl was using Luctra's own reasoning against her. There was nothing she could say to stop them and she knew it. And with her hands shot to hell physically tying them to a tree was out. Huffing in resignation she looked at them. She could lay out rules that would keep them safe, especially if Cato had been humiliated by trying to climb the tree. None of the Careers would risk looking that stupid to Panem again.

"You scout the area and come up with a plan. It has to be from the trees, the ground is suicide, okay? I will be down by the river in the forest in the area where we were hiding under the flagstone." Luctra laid out the rules for them. Both of them nodded as they climbed up the trees and set out on their mission. Luctra headed down to the river carrying one of the backpacks looped on her forearm with the machete sticking out of it and the spear clutched under her arm pit. The kids had hidden their packs up in the trees with the bow.

"These games are more about who's saving who then whose killing who! It's so backassward!" She muttered to the sky.

* * *

Luctra's mother sat at the table watching her daughter constantly risk her life to save Dash and now Rue. District 4 had heard about the uprising in District 7 and now 11, the motto "THE SACRIFICE OF THE GODDESS BE NOT IN VAIN!" was being picked up like wild fire. Her daughter was the major face of a rebellion that she had no clue she had even started. Luctra's mother knew that her daughter was just being who she was by nature, a protector and a defender of what was good, and that's probably why her fight, her willingness to die for what was right, had stirred the need to fight for change in the Districts.

Luctra's speech to Rue about sacrifice had gotten not only to the heart of Panem but to her. Here was her daughter, willing to die to protect the people she loved, to run through fire to do what was right, while she, her mother she did nothing but sit back and watch her daughter defy the odds, defy the games, defy what the Capitol was telling her she had to become to win in the games. Luctra had refused to become a living victor of death, Luctra would stand alone instead as champion of the innocent. Her daughter had never really been 'normal' anyway.

Luctra was now standing as a living symbol of hope and strength to a large part of Panem and her mother would be damned if her daughter was going to stand alone. If her daughter was going to be forced into a war, as her mother she was sure as shit going to make sure Luctra had an army to back her.

"We are going to do something. This has to end, permanently." She whispered to her husband. He looked at her and nodded. He needed to talk with Brewas.

* * *

Luctra sat in the bushes in the forest behind the flagstone at the river where she told Rue and Dash she would be. She looked down at her hands sadly. It was another scar for her already crappy body. Now she was butch and butchered. Being fierce and intimidating was different than being attractive. She may be the 'Goddess of the Games' but it was because of the power she exuded, not her looks. Men always wanted to control and possess power, and that is why the men would sponsor her to sleep with her. It's probably why Cato wanted her, to prove he was more powerful then she was to all of Panem. With the scar on her thigh, maybe one on her forehead and now these hands she could probably kiss any relationship goodbye.

Luctra stopped. Then she started laughing at herself. She was in the Hunger Games and she was worried about her non-existent future love life. She blamed it all on Cato. If that asshole had just left her alone she could have done her job and never felt like she missed out on anything. But no, Mister God's gift to women had to come along and use her, make her feel things she had never felt before. And it wasn't purely sexual which freaked her out.

Luctra thought back to the cave, when Cato had treated her leg. Her skin had tingled as his fingers had gently touched her thigh. His fingers then traced the gash up to her mid-thigh, around the crest of her wound, passing over the front of her thigh just below the band of her underwear leaving a trail of electricity on her skin. She imagined his hand running across the bottom of her underwear on her leg instead of traveling down again. His large strong fingers would trace the edge of the fabric until coming to stop at the hot junction between her legs. Luctra shivered. His hand would dip between her legs the pressure of his fingers causing the fabric to rub teasingly against her hot center. Her legs would tighten on his hand. He would probably smirk feeling her dampness, then pull back his fingers and continue to drag them down the inside of her thigh until reaching the inside of her knee where he would push her leg open and crawl on top of her, pressing his member against her throbbing core.

She switched to a real memory. She sighed deeply as she remembered the feeling of when of the medicine on his fingers had made contact with her gash. His fingers had stopped momentarily as she burned for his touch and the medicine, but she needed more right then, so she asked him for it. He had obliged her needs. She could almost feel the way his fingers had gingerly traced over her gash sending pleasure and relief throughout her whole body. Going over her ticklish spots over and over again. A branch broke startling her and sending a shock to her damp core. It probably would have been a better shock down there if it had been Cato who broke the branch and found her.

Yup. Luctra was officially bat shit crazy for even wishing for a second that the guy who probably wanted to kill would find her fantasizing about him. Here she was sitting in a bush getting all hot and bothered in the Hunger Games over the guy with the best odds of winning, who she had knocked out by blunt force trauma, when her hands were now completely useless.  _'I'm so BRILLIANT.'_  She thought sarcastically.

"You okay Luc's?" Dash came to her side. When he had found her she had this really weird look on her face, a dreamy half smile.

"Yeah. Where's Rue?" Luctra looked around worriedly.

"She went to find you some stuff for your hands." Dash told her as he took a seat next to her. Their shoulders touching as he settled beside her. He laid his head on her shoulder. Luctra was always comforting to be around. He always felt safe with her. She had once thrown a kid that was picking on him into a barrel of chum since Dash hadn't been picked on before and was about to cry not knowing what to do. _'Best day EVER!'_  Dash remembered fondly. That was the day that Luctra had decided that Dash was going to be a part of her 'clan'.

"Did you guys figure something out?" She asked him. Luctra was trying to flex her hands, but it hurt too much. They were like dried out leather. She looked to Dash beside her feeling comforted that he was alive and had his head on her shoulder, just like at home. She felt like she was succeeding even with how she was feeling right now.

"They're all awake so it was too dangerous to get really close. We're gonna go back at dawn." Dash informed her. Luctra nodded. At least the kids were being smart, no matter how stupid she thought the kids were for wanting to help Katniss. She really only thought it was stupid because it would put the kids in danger. Luctra almost jumped out of her skin when she turned her head and saw Rue right beside her.

"Holy crap on cracker! Don't do that to me!" Luctra mock scolded grabbing her chest over heart. _'Damn the girl is quiet.'_  Luctra thought. Rue smiled at the weird idiom.

"Sorry." Rue apologized while smiling. Luctra knew Rue really wasn't sorry, Luctra knew her reaction was probably too funny to warrant a real sorry. "I found the stuff for your hands." Luctra turned her hands palm side up on her lap expectantly.

"Aren't you going to ask what it is?" Rue said surprised.

"Don't need too." Luctra shrugged off Rue's comment. Rue climbed in front of Luctra and sat on Luctra's lap facing Luctra. Rue was holding a long firm piece of plant that was pretty fat around. Luctra watched as Rue squeezed her two fingers from the tip of the plant all the way to the bottom making some clear greenish goo spill out. Rue then took the goo and spread it onto one of Luctra's burnt hands.

"Wow that feels good." Luctra sighed happily amazed. She felt the skin on her hands cooling and loosening up.

"It's aloe. It's not as good as the Capitol stuff but it should help you keep your hands moving." Rue said as she spread aloe over Luctra's other hand.

"You have to keep them moving as much as possible." Rue warned her as she began to gently massage the aloe into Luctra's hands. Rue knew if Luctra didn't keep flexing her hands the skin would seal up and tighten wrong leaving Luctra without the proper use of her hands.

"Thanks Rue." Luctra said gratefully. She knew why Rue was worried about her hands not moving. The kid was pretty smart. Luctra looked up. The sun was setting again.

"We can't risk a fire. Do you guys have any of the protein bars left?" Luctra asked them as she slowly started flexing her hands. It was still really painful but they were starting to move again.

"We only have half of one left." Dash told her.

"I can go forge." Rue offered.

"It's too late in the day for that." Said Luctra as she looked up, hoping a camera would zoom in on her face. "Finnick we could really use something right now." Three minutes later a silver parachute was heading towards them beeping very quietly. Luctra figured Finnick made it quieter since they would see it coming and he didn't want anyone nearby to hear it by mistake. It floated right to them. Attached to the parachute was a medium sized silver pod with '4' painted on it.

"Wow. That's amazing. I don't have many sponsors, if any." Rue sadly told them as she watched Dash catch the pod, the beeping turning off.

"You're part of the clan now so our sponsors are your sponsors." Luctra grinned. She would have tugged on one of Rue's braids if it weren't for her hands. Rue's face split into a large grin.

* * *

"Only Luctra could manage to form a whole fucking family in the Hunger Games." Finnick groaned banging his head on the table. Petal warned him that if he kept doing that he was going to dent his pretty forehead. He told her to piss off.

"It's really sweet when you think about it…" Diamond gushed. Finnick banged his head on the table again.  _'The girls were actually going to kill him this Hunger Games.'_

* * *

"This is good." Dash managed to say through a mouth full of bread. In the pod had been some rolls, cheese and grapes. Not as fancy as her meal with Cato but it was good food none the less. They were by the river, with a water purifier equipped canteen so Finnick had known not to waste money on fluids. The kids were being really sweet too. They would break off small bits of cheese and bread and put it between Luctra's fingers for her. The kids weren't saying anything to her about helping her; they just silently did it and for that Luctra was very grateful. She didn't need a reminder about how dependent she was on them right now. It wasn't supposed to be that way. And she was dead set that it wouldn't stay that way.

"Finish up and get to the trees. You need to be ready if you're going through with your plan tomorrow morning." Luctra chewed on the last piece of cheese. The kids nodded, eating up any crumbs and hoisted themselves into the tree above Luctra. Luctra would be sleeping on the forest floor against the tree in the bushes. She really had no other option. It was dangerous, but she trusted the kids to warn her if something bad was coming. Luctra picked up the note and read it again.

_Working on the cream. Also stop acting like you're fucking JOAN OF ARC!_

Luctra laughed as she looked to her side, knowing there had to be a camera there somewhere. "Joan of Arc burned Finnick. You can't burn the Goddess of the Sea." Luctra knew back in the Capitol Finnick was probably cussing her out or banging his head on something. That made her happy.

* * *

"She just ripped you Finnick." Gem roared laughing. When Luctra had looked at the camera and said what she did everyone in the room burst out laughing. And Finnick had cussed and slapped his forehead with his palm.

"She survives waterfalls, takes down a titan and runs through fire saving a fallen child like a fucking arch angel. What the hell stunt is the 'Goddess of the Games' going pull next?" Finnick groaned. Luctra was not helping herself by being so different and not playing the Hunger Games the 'normal' way. And she was going to make his head explode with all the concern, frustration, and anxiety. The last because of her stunts with Cato and her bloody need to save almost EVERYONE but herself.

"Cause a titan fall in love." Petal suggested dreamily. Finnick looked at Petal like she had sprung another head. He whacked his head on the table again. He was sure he had brain damage by now, which is probably why Petal's comment actually sounded like a real possibility to him right now.

* * *

Luctra watched the Tribute to the Fallen, only the kid from 10 had died. She sighed and asked for his soul to be at peace. She didn't need forgiveness this time, the kid had chosen to attack her directly when he could have run and left her alone. He had been looking to be a victor and not just trying to survive. That was the difference between 7's death and 10's death for her. 10 had chosen to try and take her life unprovoked, 7 was after Dash's supplies to survive. Leaning back against the tree Luctra let a deep sleep wash over her.

She would never understand how he knew she was there that night.

* * *

Cato had woken up during the night. His body had been completely tense and his mind plagued with dread all day worrying that the cannon had been for Luctra. When he finally knew that it was for the kid from 10 and not her, his body relaxed. But he didn't sleep long. Getting up he looked to make sure Katniss was still in the tree. She was. With everyone else at the base of the tree he felt confident he could go to the river. Picking up his sword he walked through the forest, not caring about making noise. He was Cato. The remaining Tributes were trying to avoid HIM not the other way around.

Once at the river Cato placed his sword on the flagstone and bent over the edge cupping cool water into his hands. Splashing it on his face he flashed back to when he had been washing the blood off his face in the cave for Luctra's sake. He had cared that it would change how she looked at him, but ironically it was something he wasn't actually guilty of doing that had warped her perception of him. He shook the water out of his hair and rubbed his hands over his face. The wind blew by him. He froze. It couldn't be. Another breeze blew by. Oh yes, he definitely smelled it. It was faint but he would be able to pick out that smell even in a shop full of perfumes.

Sea salt and vanilla.

He picked up his sword. Taking a few steps he stopped, the breeze came again and he inhaled deeply. He smiled, the Gamemakers had figured out he knew her smell and wanted him to find her. He took a few more steps, another breeze. He continued to search for where the breeze was coming from. He was standing on another flagstone down river when a strong wind blew over him from the woods, her smell now very strong. Quietly, not wanting to alert her of his presence Cato pushed through the bushes in the forest across from the flagstone. Coming into a small area at the base of a tree he found her.

She was fast asleep. Her hair was a mess and she had dirt and smoke stains on her face and clothes. She had been caught in the Gamemakers forest fire. There was a gash on her forehead but it didn't look serious. He calmed the animal in himself as it demanded he wake her and not let her leave him again. Now wasn't the right time to do that. She was damp, but she had probably been running into the water to escape the forest fire instead of actually washing in it, which is why she still had soot all over her. Cato quietly put his sword down as he approached her. He got about two steps before his hand flew up and caught whatever had just been heading for his face. Opening his hand he saw it was a slingshot bead. Looking up at the trees Cato lifted an eyebrow.

"A slingshot? Really? That's what you use." Cato sarcastically called up to the tree quietly. He relaxed his face and held up his hands dropping the bead to the ground. "I'm not going to hurt her Dash. I just need to see her."

Cato heard no answer, but when no other beads came his way he took it as a sign that Dash was going to let him get closer. He took one step forward. Nothing. Cato brought his hands down slowly and took two more steps and crouched down right next to Luctra's sleeping form. She had a streak of dirt on her cheek. Her brow was furrowed and her lips pulled into a tight line. She was stressed and worried even in her sleep. Unlike in the cave Luctra looked run down sleeping here. Cato's eyes traveled down her neck which was tilted sideways against the tree, to her jacket which still couldn't hide the fact she had a large chest, to down over her stomach, to her lap where her hands…he sighed unhappy.

"You're away from me for two days and you get seriously hurt again." Cato sighed looking at Luctra's burned hands. They had some goop on them, which he guessed had to be and he hoped was Capitol medicine. He wanted to touch her so badly; he even felt his hand start to reach out to cup her face when he stopped himself. If he woke her up now, with the kid being so close and her still thinking he was after him she would attack him and would not stop to listen to him. And if Dash jumped in and he got hurt by accident, well it would all be over, she would never believe his story. Shaking his head a little Cato stood up and looked down at the sleeping 'Goddess' who was clearly going through Hades to keep the kid alive. He wanted her to know that he had been here, and that he hadn't done anything, that she could trust him not to hurt her and Dash. Smirking Cato pulled off his shirt and as lightly as possible placed it over Luctra's knees. Turning around he picked up his sword and left.

"Uh…Dash Bash?" Rue whispered quietly watching the boy from 2 leave without attacking Luctra.

"Yeah Ruby Rue?" Dash responded.

"What just happened?" She whispered.

"I have no idea Ruby Rue. No idea at all." Dash said slowly. Something more had happened to Luctra while she was away. And it somehow involved Cato.

* * *

AN: DAT TAT DA! Sorry for the super long chapter but there was so much that happened in this time period that I didn't want to separate it. The group will all be coming together shortly. As you can tell the seeds of rebellion are starting already. There will be BIG drama coming up in the next chapters and some of you are wondering about the fate of Dash and Rue….well I'm not giving anything away. BUT IT IS GOING TO BE SUPER IMPORTANT.

Luv

Rayn


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Enjoy!

Chapter Fourteen:

Understanding true Sacrifice and Minor Luxuries

Luctra woke up the next morning just before the sun was going to come up feeling tired. Not from lack of sleep but because the games were slowly wearing her down. She felt like she was out swimming and had been pulled into the under current and every time she got her head above the water another wave came crashing over her, but she would never let herself stop swimming. Shifting to get up Luctra noticed something on her legs. Picking it up she found it was a shirt, a big shirt. Putting it to her nose she smelled it. Musk and mint.

"Cato." She breathed out.

"How did you know it was his?"

Luctra jumped a little and looked up into the tree. She saw two sets of eyes looking at her. One set was curious and worried, Rue, the other angry and hurt, Dash. Luctra swallowed. She was probably going to have to do some explaining to Dash if he was ever going to stop looking at her like she kicked his dog then made fun of his dead mother.

"Because I know what Cato smells like." Luctra sighed laying the shirt back on her lap.

"And you know that because…" Dash's voice was full of anger. Luctra had kept something from him and that hurt.

"Come down and I'll tell you everything." Luctra told him. Both kids scurried down the tree. They didn't have much time since they were going to back to help Katniss just after day break. The kids sat in front of her looking at her expectantly. Luctra took a deep breath.

"After we split up I got stuck on the edge of a cliff….." Luctra proceed to tell them the whole story, taking out all of the things that were either embarrassing or not proper for their ears to hear, and that included the elevator confrontation and that Cato had offered her a place with the Careers. Dash would just feel guilty about her turning it down for him. She had Dash pull out her medicine from her pocket and told them how she had escaped to find them. Dash was no longer angry. He didn't realize just how far Luctra had gone to protect him. He knew she was protecting him but now the full weight of what that actually meant settled over him. He never knew that Cato was, for whatever reason, after him and that Luctra had put herself at Cato's mercy to make sure he got away. She was putting herself between him and every evil in the Hunger Games she could. And all Luctra had asked him was to look after Rue if Luctra should die before they were the last three. He felt really bad for getting mad at her.

"Cato is a confusing person. He can be kind one minute and vicious the next. It may all be a part of his game. I just don't know." Luctra finished after Rue asked her why Cato didn't kill her after they survived the waterfall. A thought occurred to Luctra. "Wait how did you know it was Cato's shirt?" Both Rue and Dash looked away guiltily.

"He kinda came by last night." Dash said moving back from Luctra a little bit not wanting to be in whacking range if she flipped.

"WHAT?" Luctra flipped out. "He came by and you didn't wake me up! What if he had…"

"I tried to shoot him with the slingshot." Rue cut in. Luctra almost laughed. That was like throwing a pebble at a bear.

"But he caught the bead." Dash was still in awe of that fact. "He said he wasn't going to hurt you and that he just wanted to see you." Dash finished lamely. Dash remembered the way that Cato had looked at Luc's when he saw her hands, it was weird, like he was actually upset Luc's had gotten hurt. Dash was super confused now that he knew the whole Cato story. Why would Cato care if Luc's got hurt? Luctra's eyebrows drew together.

"Wait so he knew you were here Dash?" Luctra noted. Dash nodded. "And he just left you here alive?"

"Well obviously." Dash answered and rolled his eyes at the stupid question.

Luctra was also confused now. Cato having found her and leaving her here was weird, but knowing Dash was here and leaving him alive was just down right mind boggling. Looking at the shirt on her legs Luctra was pretty sure it was Cato's way of telling her 'look I was here and I left you all alive, you owe me so bring me my shirt and join me at the Cornucopia' as he had wanted her to do to from the cave.

"We need to get going." Rue told Dash. Luctra looked up. The sun was just starting to break across the sky.

"Come here you two." Luctra held out her arms and hugged both of them tight to her body with her arms. "Be careful and bolt at the first sign of trouble. I will find you if you don't come back." She promised holding them close. "Never lose each other." She ordered them. Releasing them she smiled a sad smile. It was a bittersweet moment. On one side these two kids were willing to risk their lives for someone they barely knew because Luctra was protecting them and felt it was their duty to pay it forward, but on the other hand it could put them in danger. Luctra watched them scamper up the trees and disappear. Those kids were seriously part monkey. Luctra sighed dejectedly. It should be her helping Katniss because of how the kids felt. It was her job to protect them, and now because she was useless they were going to do it themselves, and she couldn't stop them.

* * *

She had probably been sitting there for about 2 hours, having done her lady business, which as a BITCH without being able to use her hands properly. She was about to apply more aloe when a parachute flew down to her. It was a small silver '4' pod and inside she found gauze and fingerless leather gloves, like the one she used in the training centre. No medicine for her burns. GREAT!

"You must be pretty pissed at me Finnick." She hissed out. Luctra noticed a note at the back of the pod.

_Gauze is not opaque. Look to_ _THE_ _firelight._

Another cryptic message. GREAT! This one was going to give her a headache and she just knew it. Ok so everyone knows gauze is not opaque, but it is translucent. Luctra thought about that. Firelight? Is he talking about the forest fire? Luctra sure as hell wasn't going back into a forest fire anytime soon, nor was she gonna try and start one. Her and fire just DID not mix. What did it mean? She thought hard over it then took a break, her head starting to hurt from frustration.

She turned her face up and enjoyed the warms rays on her face a moment. Wait. Her eyes shot open. Firelight…THE firelight…the sun! Gauze isn't opaque when you hold it up to light because you can see through it. Luctra worked to unwind the gauze but eventually she was able to get the start and the middle parts in her fingers and hold it up to the light. There it was. Faintly in the weave of the gauze was the real message.

_Katniss has burn cream. Districts rioting b/c of Goddess. Hold tight._

What did he mean the Districts were rioting? Hold tight for what? What did her Capitol nickname have to do with it? Taking the gauze and tearing it in half, like she had been trying figure out the middle point the whole time, Luctra used her teeth to put a heavy amount of aloe on her hands. She then wrapped her hands as best she could with the gauze. She painfully maneuvered her hands into the gloves. Just what the hell was going on outside the arena? And what did it have to do with her? Finnick she figured was just teasing her with her nickname because of her Joan of Arc retaliation.

Suddenly she heard yelling as people came charging in to the river from the forest down river from her. Luctra crouched slowly. She gathered up Cato's shirt, her pack, and the spear. Her hand was able to minimally wrap around the shaft of the spear. She would be able to carry it, probably stab someone if needed, but she wouldn't be able to throw it or fight well with it. Quietly moving through the woods Luctra stopped when she was just close enough to see what was going on through the foliage. There in the river were Clove, Marvel and Glimmer. They had all thrown themselves in the water and were swatting at things, and then ducking back into the water. Cato startled her as he came crashing through to the bank down from her a moment later. He jumped into the water and started doing the same thing that the other three were doing. Eventually the four Careers pulled themselves to shore. They were spread out from each other.

Luctra noticed they all looked completely disoriented and were picking at their bodies, the movements getting slower and sloppier every second until Glimmer, Clove and Marvel had all passed out. Something weird was going on. Moving to the river bed slowly Luctra crept cautiously towards them. Cato was closest to her, a little distance from the others lying on his back, feet still in the river. He was breathing but he was losing control over his muscles as she saw him picking at his body. She knew there was no danger of him lashing out at her now so she came to kneel right beside him.

"What happened?" She asked him quietly putting the spear down and shirt down. Cato looked at her but his eyes were glazed over, like he wasn't really seeing her.

"Your hair is blue." Cato told her. Luctra raised an eyebrow at him. She looked over his naked chest. Scattered all over his body were stings.

"Tracker Jackers." She murmured to herself. She knew about these mutations. It wouldn't have been so bad if he had been wearing a shirt when they had swarmed him. She looked over Cato's chest. If she didn't get the stingers out Cato could be poisoned to a toxic level, and she owed him for her leg. But her hands wouldn't be able to make the finite movements needed to pick the stingers up between her fingers. That left her with only one option. Bending her head Luctra lowered her mouth over one of the stingers on his abdomen, caught the stinger between her teeth and pulled it out. She spat the stinger to the side. She bent down and pulled out another, moving her way across his stomach, to up over his pecks, and then down both his arms removing the stingers from his smooth marble skin. Her lips were almost numb from the venom but there was only one stinger left. Sticking out of the side of Cato's neck was the very last stinger.

She had a mental debate with herself. This was her one chance to do it. He wouldn't know, he wouldn't wake up, and she wouldn't have to know if she had done it right. She could do this without fear of repercussions. Without the fear of it all being a ploy, a game to him. He wouldn't be able to ridicule her or laugh at her inexperience. She pushed aside her fears and for once broke her own rules. Bending her head to his neck Luctra pulled the stinger out. Keeping her face in the crook of Cato's neck she spat the stinger out onto the riverbed. Tilting her head back to his neck Luctra pressed her lips to the skin of his neck feeling the warm softness of his skin. She drew her tongue out and dragged the tip of it over the skin below. She felt him shiver. She pressed her lips against his neck again.

Cato was in a delusional heaven. There was a beautiful water Goddess, blue hair and shiny skin, with hazel eyes. She was planting butterfly kisses all over his body. It felt amazing and Cato didn't want the sensation to stop. Then his Goddess placed a firm kiss on his neck. He felt his loins stir when he felt her tongue trace his skin and he shivered. The he moaned out her name.

Luctra flew backwards away from Cato thinking he had woken up. He had just moaned her name while she was kissing his neck. Moving back beside Cato Luctra touched her lips lightly with her burned fingertips. Was he imagining it was her, or did he know she was here? Taking the fingers off her lips she reached down and traced his lips with her fingers. Her stomach tightened when Cato's lips parted and he let out a sigh of contentment at her touch.

Getting up Luctra grabbed the spear and bolted away from Cato, she couldn't let herself hope that he was actually thinking of her, feeling things for her, because there was no way it was real. She was strong, tough, loyal, protective, could look good, but she wasn't in the same league as guys like Cato. She had been reminded of that fact too many times in her life. As she ran away she didn't notice that she had left Cato's shirt behind.

* * *

Luctra ran in the direction that Cato had come from, detouring only to kick Glimmer in the face. She couldn't kill a defenseless person, not even Glimmer. But she could help keep the raccoon look on Glimmer's face longer.

Luctra found the area where Katniss must have been, since there was a stomped out fire and a fallen Tracker Jacker nest all at the base of one tree. She moved around the area cautiously, worried that there may still be Tracker Jackers in the nest. She made it to the other side of the area finding a sort of path going in the opposite direction of the river. Peeta, or Katniss must have gone this way since they didn't come to the river, and Katinss was who the kids would be with. She followed the sort of path taking in the signs from the ground. She wasn't a tracker at all but even she could see that someone had stumbled and dragged themselves away from the Tracker Jackers, until they fell down the hill. Luctra looked down the hill and grinned.

"Hey you guys okay?" Luc called down to Dash and Rue who were at the bottom of the hill. They were currently trying to drag Katniss's passed out body somewhere by her legs. The kids looked up the hill.

"Hurry up she's heavy!" Dash said emphasizing his point by jerking on Katniss's leg. It was pretty funny and Luctra chuckled as she carefully started climbing down the hill. On the way down the hill something gleamed in the sun catching Luctra's eye.

"Yes!" She called going over to it. Picking up the ornate carver she grinned like a mad woman. She happily made her way down to the kids.

"Oh great another weapon!" Dash cried sarcastically still holding Katniss's foot in his hand. Like they didn't have enough of those already.

"I'll be able to use it soon enough." She cryptically tells Dash. "You're gonna pull it off if you keep doing that." Luctra said to Dash as pulled on Katniss's leg again. Dash unceremoniously dropped the leg with a thump and crossed his arms staring at Luctra.

"Here take this." Luctra said handing him the spear. "And you take this." She handed the carver to Rue. "Grab the rest of our crap and I'll deal with her." Rue and Dash hurried off to get their things. Luctra looked down at Katniss, the girl had stings everywhere that her skin was exposed. When Dash and Rue got back Luctra hooked her elbows under Katniss's armpits. Lifting her, Luctra then dragged Katniss backwards to the area Rue had found that was secluded enough for them to set up camp in safely. Once there Luctra dropped Katniss like a sack of potatoes.

"Rue I need you to go through Katniss's backpack for me." Rue looked at Luctra uncomfortably.

"She may have something that will help my hands." She stressed. She couldn't flat out tell Rue that she knew Katniss had burn cream without raising the question how how she knew; it would be a question she couldn't answer. Hopefully the Gamemakers believed that Luctra had figured it out when she saw Katniss's healing leg. Rue nodded understanding and began going through Katniss's backpack. Finally rue extracted a tube from it.

"Wow she has burn cream!" Rue said surprised reading the writing on the tube.

"Thought she might. Look at her leg." Luctra pointed out more for the sake of the Gamemakers then Rue. Rue looked down at Katniss's leg and saw the healing burns.

"Oh." Rue astonished.

"Can you put it on my hands for me?" Luctra asked holding out her hands. Rue hesitated. The cream wasn't theirs.

"Look you saved her life. Take it as a form of payment." Luctra said offhandedly, she needed that damn cream if she was going to finish what she set out to do. Rue still wasn't sure. To her it was an expensive gift to take.

"Well Peeta kind helped to." Dash piped in. Luctra looked to him.

"What do you mean?" Luctra asked. She hadn't seen Peeta on her way over here. Dash began the story.

"Well after we dropped the nest…"

"You guys dropped the Tracker Jacker nest?" Luctra said stunned. It was a pretty ballsy and dangerous move.

"Yup Katniss dropped it right on top of the sleeping Careers after we pointed it out to her!" Rue chimed proudly. It was her idea and it had worked so well.

"Nice thinking." Luctra complimented them smiling. It was a good idea, and Luctra had reaped a small completely inappropriate benefit from it, which no one would EVER know about in the games.

"Yeah so after it hit the ground and everyone was madly scrambling around. Katniss had been stung while dislodging the nest so she was disoriented when she climbed out of the tree." Dash continued. Rue picked up from here.

"She was stumbling around and then Peeta came back yelling at her to run away. See the Career from 2, the boy, was still trying to catch Katniss since with his size the venom took longer to fully affect his system. Well when Katniss got away and when the Career saw Peeta had helped her he took a swing at Peeta with his sword." Rue finished. Her and Dash had watched all this happen as they moved from tree to tree following Katniss. They had promised Luctra to keep to the trees and they weren't going to break that promise.

"I didn't hear a cannon go off though." Luctra commented confused. She clung to the hope that Peeta wasn't dead, she liked the kid.

"Peeta didn't die. Cato was all loopy woopy so his swing wasn't really aimed well or that strong. It caught Peeta on the inside of his thigh." Dash confirmed pointing to the area on his leg where Peeta had been hit. It was close to the major artery which had Luctra worried about how long Peeta would be able make it without help.

"Where's Peeta now?" Luctra was concerned Peeta was bleeding to death somewhere. He had come to warn her about the Careers earlier and she wanted to help him in return for that and getting hurt trying to save someone he loved. Something she could REALLY relate to.

"He stumbled off in that direction." Dash pointed to the area on their left. Luctra turned back to Rue who was still holding onto the burn cream tube. Luctra had an idea.

"Rue I have the medicine that will help Peeta. If I use Katniss's burn cream, I can go find Peeta and heal his leg up. Would that be a fair trade off?" Luctra volunteered. Rue thought for a moment.

"Yeah that seems fair." Rue agreed. Rue walked up to Luctra and began taking the stuff off of Luctra's hands. Luctra was glad she hadn't used her medicine, or she would have had to sit on top of both Dash and Rue so she could use Katniss's burn cream while the kids protested under her.  _'I'm sure Panem and Finnick woulda got a kick out of seeing that though...'_  She laughed mentally.

"Sponsor gift?" Dash nodded his head towards the leather gloves and gauze.

"Yeah. Finnick sent it not long after you left." Luctra confirmed. Dash wondered why Finnick hadn't sent burn cream. Luctra looked down at her palms after all the gauze was off. The blisters were releasing puss now and more pieces of skin, damp from the aloe, were peeling back and lifting off. To Luctra they looked disgusting, like she had stuck them in the bait grinder at work.

"They'll heal." Rue assured her. Rue had seen the look on Luctra's face when Luctra was examining her damaged palms. It was the same look her mom got when she looked in a mirror and didn't like her outfit. Luctra made no reply. Rue used the gauze to wipe off the aloe and puss from Luctra's hands. Rue then squeezed a generous amount of the cream onto Luctra's palms.

"Maybe just rub them together so no cream gets wasted." Rue suggested. Luctra did as she said. Immediately she began to feel her skin being soothed and the tissue softening as the cream penetrated through the burned layers.

"I'll go find Peeta tomorrow. My hands should be healed mostly by then. Rue is there anything you can do for Katniss?" Luctra smiled to Rue as she kept rubbing her hands together. Rue nodded and took off into the forest.

* * *

When Cato woke up on the river bed he almost wished he could get stung by Tracker Jackers all over again. He had had the most amazing hallucination. He was with the Goddess Amphitrite. She had saved his life. She healed his wounds by placing butterfly kisses over his body with her lips, paying special attention to the wound on his neck and then in return he had whisked her off making love to her for hours in an underwater cave. After she had been thoroughly satisfied by him she had declared she was his to possess forever and had climbed on top of him taking him inside her again and riding him as the waves had crashed around them. Sitting up and gaining his senses he brought up the hallucination from the recesses of his memory.

He wasn't surprised when he realized that the Goddess he hallucinated was actually Luctra in her costume from the parade, except the blue hair thing. It would make a pretty hot role play in the future he thought. Luctra had gotten right under his skin without trying and he wondered if he had even penetrated hers. He leaned back on his hands. His one hand touched something soft. Bringing it forward to examine he smiled. It was his t-shirt. Luctra had been by here. Maybe not everything that had happened was a hallucination, maybe he was also under her skin.

Putting on his shirt Cato got up and stretched out. Turning he saw the others not far from him. He needed to get them up and back to the Cornucopia to regroup. The only one partially awake was Clove. Walking over he passed Glimmer whose eyes were now even blacker and she had a new bump on her forehead. She also had numerous stings, looking as though she got the brunt of the Tracker Jacker attack. If she had looked like shit before she looked like hell now. Cato focused a little more on the dirt on Glimmer's face. Cato cracked a huge grin. The dirt was actually a boot print. Oh yeah, Luctra had definitely been by here.

* * *

"President Snow. District 12, 11, 9, 7, 4 and 3 are all rebelling sir. We aren't able to contain them much longer with the current resources." The Captain of the Capitol Defense announced.

"Put all the forces and power into defending the Capitol. Prepare a counter strike." President Snow ordered coldly.

"What about the Hunger Games sir? The arena consumes a lot of our resources." The Captain asked. President Snow thought for a moment.

"Put them on pause. Allow no killing till we get this dealt with. It will be fine as they will be contained within the arena, she won't get out." President Snow commanded. The Captain saluted and went to leave.

"Oh." Snow continued. The Captain turned back. "And level District 12. They are expendable and it will send a warning to all the other Districts."

* * *

"So we have a bow and arrows, which none of us can use, a machete, a spear, a carver, which is mine, a dagger, and a slingshot. Did I miss anything?" Luctra was going over the weapons they had accumulated. It was a fair bit for Tributes who had never gone back to the Cornucopia since the bloodbath.

"Does the flare gun count?" Dash asked rotating it in his hands.

"Only if you shoot Glimmer in the face with it." Luctra chuckled. She had an unhealthy obsession with the idea of shooting Glimmer with the flare gun. Maybe then they could call her 'sparkle the raccoon'.

"Ok you stay here with Catnap Katniss. I'm gonna go look for Peeta. I'm only taking the carver and my medicine. Don't leave until I get back." Luctra laid out the plan as she put her gloves over her healing hands. They would never look the same, but she could almost use them like nothing had happened.

"Right. Be careful." Dash said giving her a quick hug. Rue did the same and Luctra planted a kiss on each of their heads. Sprinting off Luctra headed in the direction of the area next to the river where Rue said Peeta had gone after getting sliced by Cato. She checked before she stepped out of the forest, no Careers, it was safe to search. Walking along the rocky riverbed Luctra saw a small blood splatter. She kept walking. Then she saw another one. It was a blood trail she realized, and most likely Peeta's. She quickened her pace until the trail ended. But there was no Peeta.

"Uhhh….ok…." Luctra was confused. She back tracked looking for other clues. She scratched her head. There were none, the trail just ended on the rocks.

"Seriously where the hell did you go Peeta?" She whispered to herself.

"Down here."

Luctra almost jumped out of her skin. Looking down she scanned the rock she was standing on. "Down here where?" She asked. She jumped again when the rocks blinked open an eye.

"Jeezzeee Peeta give a girl a heart attack would ya!" Luctra was a little rattled. She had known he was good at camouflage but she didn't realize he was THAT damn good. Peeta moved his head exposing the paint job on his face. The rest of his body was also so well hidden she never would have found him if he had been passed out.

"Sorry." Peeta apologized his voice strained. Luctra knelt down, placing the carver down on the rock, and helped Peeta into a sitting position.

"Attractive face." Luctra joked sarcastically. She sat Peeta against her chest as she kneeled behind him.

"Attractive smell." Peeta teased back, though his voice was laced with pain. Luctra let out a fake gasp of indignation.

"Oh I am so not gonna help you now." Luctra teased pretending to get up. Peeta stopped her by patting her hand that was on his shoulder.

"Wait wait. You smell like roses happy." Peeta said sarcastically. He felt Luctra laugh.

"Extremely. Heard you got sliced by a drugged up blonde with an anger issue?" Luctra settled Peeta's head against her one of her shoulders so she could look at his face. Though it was kinda weird talking to him with the rock paint on.

"Yeah, inner thigh." Peeta winced in pain as he turned his leg out so Luctra could see it. Luctra let out a low whistle.

"That sucks." She said.

"Tell me about it." Peeta replied. Luctra reached into her pocket grabbing her container of medicine.

"Lucky for you the 'Goddess of the Games' happens to carry magic healing goop." Luctra held out the container in front of Peeta's face. Peeta's eyes went wide as he looked at the container then to Luctra.

"That's expensive stuff!" Peeta hadn't gotten many sponsor gifts but he knew that this one would have cost a great deal of money.

"Feh. I've used only half of it so you should have enough to get a handle on that." Luctra brushed off pointing to Peeta's leg.

"I can't take it." Peeta refused pushing Luctra's hand with the container away.

"Yes you can. I took Katniss's burn cream for my hands so I consider this payment for it. And I don't like owing people things." Luctra emphasized the last part. Peeta saw the determination in her eyes and took the container. Luctra helped him to the water, where he could wash out the wound and then put the medicine on. At that part of the river Luctra told him he could still play 'rock boy' and not be found before he fully healed.

"I have to get back to Rue, Dash and Katniss, but you should be safe here. I'll send Katniss your way once she is up and coherent." Luctra promised Peeta. He nodded and thanked her again before she ran back into the forest. Luctra was one of a kind that's for sure, Peeta mused. He thought he was going to give up everything for Katniss, whereas Luctra was giving up everything and then some to everyone she seemed to even care a smidgen about. He wished he could be more like her.

* * *

"You guys wanna do WHAT?" Luctra shouted at the three faces in front of her.

"We. Want. Too. Destroy. The. Careers. Supplies." Dash repeated slowly like Luctra was actually as stupid as she looked at her Reaping.

"This was your idea wasn't it?" Luctra snarled turning on Katniss who was now awake and healed.

"I'm not against it if that's what you mean." Katniss told Luctra as she munched on some goosling she had caught and then cooked for everyone.

Luctra had been slightly relieved that someone could use the bow now, but that was short lived when Rue had told her what they had come up with while Luctra was away helping Peeta. Luctra glared at Katniss.

"Dash, Rue, go find some more aloe for me." Luctra told them coldly. Dash knew that Luctra wanted to talk to Katniss without them hearing it since Luctra didn't actually need more aloe. Dash grabbed Rue and left.

"So you want two twelve year olds to help you piss off the most dangerous group of allied people in the arena." Luctra hissed angrily. Katniss looked up at Luctra for the first time noticing how intimidating Luctra was. Not just in size but in presence. No wonder Dash and Rue were still alive and almost completely unharmed. Katniss swallowed her goosling and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"They have to be taken down some time. And without their supplies they will get desperate, and weaker." Katniss justified.

"I wasn't questioning the idea, Girl on Fire." Luctra snarled taking a step towards Katniss. Katniss stood up recognizing the challenge. "I am questioning your eagerness to send two untrained kids up against the Careers on the Careers own TURF." To Luctra it was the same as walking into Thresh's wheat field waving blow torch around.

"We are all kids in here, regardless of age Goddess." Katniss flared back.

"Your sister is the same damn age as them." Luctra fumed her arms flying up in frustration. Katniss bristled at the mention of her sister.

"Don't you bring Prim into this! I am here protecting…" Katniss threatened. Luctra cut her off.

"You aren't here protecting her!" Luctra got right up in Katniss's face. "Yes, what you did was admirable, but you need to remember one thing." Luctra pointed her finger getting right up in Katniss's face. "You took her place. There are tributes in this arena that will die in here in order make sure that the person they love makes it out of this hell alive and gets to go home." Luctra snapped

"I…" Katniss stuttered.

"Still have the chance of going home to your sister!" Luctra spat bitterly. "You still have hope because your sister isn't in the arena, because you could take her place. Some of us weren't given that choice when it came to saving our loved ones." Luctra took a dangerously controlled breath and continued.

"Others in this arena understand and have accepted that our lives were forfeit the moment the Reapings were over. We know we will never see our families again. We have someone in the arena whose life we have decided is worth more than our own and because of that we choose to see our lives end, for our families to be the ones to bear the loss, so that another can see home again." Luctra finished deadly calm. She thought of Dash never seeing the ocean again and it made her more livid with Katniss.

Katniss gulped. She hadn't thought of it that way. While Prim would survive no matter what happened, Katniss had the chance of winning and returning home to the people she loved. A Tribute like Luctra had come into the games and knew they were going to die because if they didn't, the person they loved would die instead.

"I never thought of it like that." Katniss whispered. Luctra sighed knowing she had been a little too hard on Katniss. Luctra was just so pissed that Dash and Rue had this idea in their heads now and were dead set on carrying it out. She softened her glare a little.

"Look what's done is done. I will go along with this because if I don't I won't be there to protect them, but I resent you for helping to put them in direct danger while I'm still alive." Luctra looked directly at Katniss. Katniss understood the meaning clearly. While they were on allied terms now when it came down to it Luctra would kill Katniss to protect Dash and Rue.

It dawned on Katniss at that moment that if Prim had been here instead of her, Luctra probably would have taken Prim under her care and made Prim part of her 'clan' as Rue had called it. Luctra would have extended the same sacrifice to include her ducky. And for that reason Katniss respected Luctra and understood her resentment.

This was different then dropping Tracker Jackers on people while they were defenselessly sleeping. The Careers would be awake; the 'clan' would be on the ground and they would be on Career controlled territory. Luctra felt her instincts kick, but for once she couldn't listen to it.

* * *

They were outside watching on the tower screen as Luctra read Katniss the riot act, putting the games in a different perspective for the Girl on Fire and also Panem, yet again. This was only going to fuel the Districts even more, and Haymitch was glad for it. He may mentor the Girl on Fire but Finnick was mentoring the 'Goddess of the Games' who had an inner power that rivaled a hurricane when focused.

"She has really chosen to die hasn't she?" Haymitch whispered amazed to Finnick. It was one thing to say it but this girl from 4 was living it. Luctra went into the Hunger Games fighting to save rather than fighting to kill. When Haymitch had seen Luctra run through the fire with Rue in her arms, defying the very nature of the games, daring the Gamemakers to try and change her, something in him came back to life. He had a sense of purpose again.

"Yes. But she'll take down who ever she has too with her to make sure those kids make it out alive." Finnick told Haymitch. Haymitch shook his head in disbelief.

"It took a fucking 17 year old girl with a protective nature stronger then 100 mother bears and a tongue like liquid silver to wake up the country." Haymitch mused. Finnick grinned knowing just how much of a bear Luctra was, aka her aversion to being woken up in the morning.

"She doesn't even fucking acknowledge the impossibility of the situation, to her what's right is no different than what has to be done. Her only goal is to see Dash and Rue make it to the final two." He surmised tightly. Finnick had trouble saying that. It was hard enough hearing Luctra say it over and over again, then to see her following through with her promise through out the Games over and over again, but saying it out loud was almost like he was accepting it. That Finnick was accepting she was going to die.

"Then let's get them the hell out of there before it comes to that." Haymitch decreed. The girl on the screen before him had balls of steal, a heart of gold, and a silver tongue. She was born to lead, born to protect and born to change the world. She was the 'Goddess' and both Haymitch and Finnick agreed with the motto, Luctra was the essence of sacrifice and for the greater good they wouldn't let those sacrifices be in vain.

* * *

AN: YAY FOR LUCTRA! I had to bring in Haymitch because I really like his character in the book and it pissed me off that while he was helpful he never really got to grow...sorta. Hope that you enjoyed the chapter. The next chapter shall be the reuniting of Cato and Luctra. Thanks to those of you who helped me with my map question, I have figured it out. Also I know that some may not like how Katniss was ripped a little by Luctra but for my Katniss it had to happen or she wouldn't grow. Plus I had to compare the two scarifices because they are different in my eyes which I hope I got across well enough.

Luv **  
**

Rayn


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen:

Set it Free and It Might Be Forced to Come Back

Before they had set out the for the Cornucopia four of them had sent up the three finger salute a message of goodbye to the Districts as they took a stand against the Careers, who to most of the Districts watching the Hunger Games always represented servitude to the Capitol. Katniss had come up with the idea as a way to signal people they loved back home, and Luctra had eagerly agreed to the idea. If Finnick was right, and a rebellion was brewing on the outside she was going to throw as much fuel on the fire as possible. That way when Dash or Rue got out of the arena they could live in a Hunger Games free world. If she could help make that happen then she would die at peace and with a sense greater of accomplishment.

That didn't mean that Luctra was not at all happy with what they were about to do though. Yes it was a good idea and yes it would help the odds that Dash or Rue would win, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She was sitting on the perimeter of the Cornucopia in the bushes.

 _'I'm always in the damn bushes. That must make me a bush woman...That was so wrong…'_  Luctra ranted mentally, her nerves affecting her sanity momentarily. Her position was halfway between the first and second fire locations to intercept the Careers if they were following Rue, who would be lighting the first fire and then run to Dash to signal him to light the second one. Katniss was located past where the second fire was to be lit. The Careers had piled up the supplies inside and close to the mouth of the Cornucopia. It was Katniss's job to go and set the containers on fire while the Careers were distracted by the fake ' _stupid tribute_ ' fires.

After Luctra had told Katniss what she thought of her Luctra had been surprised when Katniss had volunteered to be the one to actually set the fire to the supplies. It was the most dangerous part since if the Careers caught wind of what was going on and came back...well the person in the Cornucopia was pretty much toast. Luctra just assumed it would fall to her because of the personal risk and hell would freeze over before one of the kids would have to do it. Luctra may resent Katniss but the girl had some gonads for volunteering to do this part, as now the kids should be in less danger while they carried out their plan.

Luctra could see the Careers right in front of her just walking around and relaxing like it was a normal sunny day.

"Assholes." Luctra muttered quietly to herself. She saw that Glimmer's eyes were even darker now. Luctra smirked down at her boots  _'Good boots!'_ she congratulated. She looked back up then saw him too. Sitting on one of the containers at the mouth of the Cornucopia sharpening his sword lost in thought. His hair shone in the sunlight, his arms flexing with every stroke he made over the sword. They were same arms that had held her; the same hands that had stroked her leg just like it was the sword in his hands.

Luctra froze, her mind whirling as she processed what she just noticed about him. He had his shirt back, the one he had left with her.

' _Oh my god!'_  She must have left it on the riverbed when she was next to him. Luctra swallowed. Cato knew that she had been there, but did he have any idea what she had done? She saw Cato's head snap up as Clove shouted and pointed at something. Rue had started the first fire.

* * *

"Stay here and protect the stuff." Cato told Glimmer looking at the cloud of smoke rising from the woods. Together Cato, Marvel and Clove headed towards the smoke.

When the Careers got to the first fire and found that no one was actually there at the moment they began looking around their surroundings. A sharp wind cut through the area. Cato whipped his head in the direction that the wind had come from. Cato closed his eyes and inhaled. Sea salt and vanilla. His animal perked up, she had come to him.

"Marvel go that way and see what you can find, Clove go the other way. The person has to be around here somewhere." Cato ordered pointing his sword as he spoke. He sent Clove in the opposite direction of where the wind had come from. Marvel wouldn't bother with Luctra unless she attacked him, so it was safe for Marvel to go in the sorta same direction as the smell, while Clove had a personal dislike for the Luctra and would want to take a shot at Luctra if she came across her. Cato made his way to the smell quietly, he was going to force Luctra into listening to him.

* * *

Luctra backed into the forest behind her. The Careers had just vanished into the forest where the first fire was; the distraction was working. She kept low until Rue ran by her position. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Then it dropped. Foot falls. Someone was coming after Rue. One of the Careers had picked up the trail. She sent up the agreed whistle to the Mockingjays, she hoped her warning made it to them in time. While both Katniss and Luctra had agreed the supplies were important to destroy Katniss had agreed to call off her part if one of the kids got into trouble. If she heard Luctra's signal she would stop and head to help the kids. Luctra gripped her carver tightly in her hand. She heard the person getting closer.

***SNAP***

Luctra spun as she stood up and whipped around lashing out with her carver at whoever was behind her. Metal clashed against metal.

"Cato." She gasped in horror. He had come up behind her, his powerful body making no noise except the snapped branch; his eyes staring into hers. Her worst fear had come to life. She was going to go head to head with Cato. It wasn't the grand finale, but considering what she, Katniss and the kids were in the process of doing it might as well have been. Cato pushed back her carver with his sword. He stared her down, no expression on his face. Luctra backed out of the bushes onto flatter more open ground. Cato followed her sword in his hand at his side. He looked more deadly to Luctra with a sword in his hand then he had with the machete, more natural. To Luctra he finally looked like the deadly killer he was trained to be. Cato noticed the way she was looking at him, like all the other people around him did, with pure fear. His stomach clenched.

"I see your hands have healed some." Cato spoke nodding towards her hands, trying to bring up the memory that he had already left her alive when he could have killed her. Luctra looked at him confused then remembered he had come by when she had been sleeping. He was taunting her.

"They healed enough to make a difference." Luctra snarled. He was stalling her and she needed to get to Dash and Rue. She swung her carver at him. Cato seemed shocked at her advance but blocked it. Cato was surprised at the force behind the swing having to actually use strength to block it. He countered her strike with another of his own. Luctra's arm jarred up to the shoulder when she blocked Cato's sword. Rounding it off she tried to slice his ribs.

"Someone did that already." Cato said blocking her carver and swiping it out to the side forcing Luctra off balance. Luctra remembered his scar.

"Obviously not well enough if your still here." Luctra snapped regaining her balance and clashing her carver against Cato's sword again. She saw a dangerous flash in Cato's eyes. His dark vicious side had reared up and she knew it. He pushed hard against their locked weapons and forced Luctra backwards. Luctra stumbled trying to stay standing. He came at her again slamming his sword down over her head. Her arm jarred painfully again from blocking it and the power in the swing sent her reeling backwards. Luctra fell to the ground her butt hitting first followed by her back. She coughed as the wind got knocked out of her. Cato pursued her as she went down. Luctra lifted the carver in a last swing directed at Cato's knee. Cato crashed his sword against the carver and sent it flying out of her hand. It flew sideways far away from Luctra.

She now had no weapon. Cato pointed his sword at her chest as he towered over her seated body. Luctra was breathing heavy her heart pounding; chest rising and falling rapidly. This is how she would die. She stared up at Cato. Cato was breathing hard trying to reign in his anger. He looked down at Luctra at the end of his sword. This is not what he had meant by having her acknowledge his prowess or forcing her to listen, not at the end of his sword looking at him like he was the fucking grim reaper. Off in the distance a scream sounded. Her eyes filled with dread and terror. Cato wondered why Luctra was so deeply affected by a girl's scream, Dash was more manly then that, he thought, he hoped. He opened his mouth to speak to her when the ground violently trembled sending him off balance. Luctra rolled to her stomach as an earthquake shook the arena. As soon as it settled Luctra shot off the ground and ran in the direction of the scream. It was Rue's.

* * *

"TRIBUTES PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE 74th HUNGER GAMES ARE PAUSED UNTIL AN UNDETERMINED TIME! NO TRIBUTE SHALL KILL ANOTHER UNTIL THE GAMES RESUME. ANY TRIBUTE THAT VIOLATES THE PAUSE WILL BE PUNISHED SEVERELY! TRIBUTES WILL BE GIVEN 12 HOURS NOTICE BEFORE THE GAMES ARE SET TO RESUME" The voice announced over the arena.

* * *

"NO!" Finnick screamed banging on the control panel, with his fists this time. The last things the cameras had cut to were Dash wrestling with Marvel, Rue being pierced by the spear and Luctra at the end of Cato's sword. They had cut out from the arena to Caesar in the studio who explained about the pause. Everyone in Luctra's 'clan' was at deaths door including Luctra. He prayed to God, which he never did, that the pause had been called before Dash or Luctra could be killed. He didn't have much hope for Rue.

"I'm sure they're fine, I don't think Cato would have killed her." Petal tried to reassure him, and herself.

"That's not what I'm worried about." Finnick stared at Petal his eyes full of something he had not felt since his own games. Fear. "If Dash and Rue are dead, you can sure as shit bet that Luctra will blame herself entirely and she won't survive the guilt." Finnick warned tragically. "Losing both of them would be worse than dying for Luctra and we all know that. If they're gone she'll believe she should be gone too."

Gem, Diamond and Petal all knew Finnick was right. The problem with taking people so deeply into your heart is that when that person died, they took a piece of your heart with them. And Luctra cared so much for Dash, and Dash cared for Rue making Luctra care for Rue to the point where she had placed their complete survival on her shoulders and if they died because she hadn't been there to stop it, Luctra's soul would die. Luctra would eventually fade away to nothing if she lived to survive the arena.

* * *

Luctra crashed through the forest wildly. She had no clue what was going on but she had to get to Rue and Dash. She knew that scream had been Rue's and she prayed she wasn't too late. She hadn't heard a cannon so she clung to hope that the pause had come before Marvel could do anything fatal. She crashed into a meadow and saw Dash on his knees beside Katniss. Dash was crying. Katniss was holding Rue to her chest, the bow sitting on the ground beside her. Katniss looked distraught.

"Oh god I'm too late." Luctra' voice trembled. She ran over to Dash and Katniss. Both were startled by Luctra's arrival. Luctra looked down at Rue kneeling down beside Dash. Rue was bleeding from her side heavily but she was still breathing and conscious. Luctra still had a fighting chance and God himself would have to fight her for Rue's soul if God thought she would let him take it before Luctra had tried everything she could to save the little girl.

"What happened?" Luctra rushed out as she pulled off her jacket and shirt. Taking her shirt she pressed it onto the wound putting hard pressure on it as she attempted to stop the bleeding.

"I wasn't quick enough." Dash sobbed holding Rue's hand. Luctra's heart broke for Dash but she had other priorities right now. She looked into Katniss's tear filled eyes for an explanation. Luctra felt her own beginning to burn with tears.

"Marvel caught up too Rue and trapped her in the net." Katniss nodded her head to the net at Rue's feet. "I heard your warning and rushed back to her. As I got here Marvel threw the spear as he was taken to the ground and I couldn't get a clean shot off at him."

"I tried to stop him Luc's. I saw he was gonna throw it so I tackled him, but he still got the throw out." Dash sniffled. That explains why Katniss didn't get a clean shot off.

"Dash Bash. I'm scared." Rue managed sounding so small. Luctra pushed harder on the wound. She couldn't lose Rue, not with Dash here watching and holding Rue's hand as she passed.

"Rue got hit with the spear and screamed. Dash was wrestling with Marvel so I focused on killing Marvel before he could hurt Dash, and just before I let the shot go to kill Marvel the earthquake happened. It messed up my aim so I only got him in the shoulder. He ran after the quake stopped." Katniss finished, clutching onto Rue. Luctra pulled back her shirt for a second to look at the wound. It was bad, but Dash must have thrown off Marvel's aim just enough because the spear blade had glanced to the side of Rue abdomen right below her rib cage.

"We need to get her medicine or she's going to die." Luctra grabbed her jacket and wrapped it around Rue tightly binding her shirt and the pressure to Rue's side where the wound was located. Katniss looked at Luctra like she was insane. Bot for what Luctra just said and the fact that Katniss had just processed that Luctra was now only in her sports bra from the waist up.

"The game is on pause! Where are we going to get medicine?" Dash shouted angrily. Luctra knew he was upset about Rue and taking it out on her. That was fine, better that he was angry then hopeless.

"The Cornucopia." Luctra responded picking Rue up into her arms.

"That's suicide." Katniss breathed out.

"The game is paused. They can't hurt us. And I can get them. Katniss I need you to cover me with your bow." Luctra affirmed starting to walk gently towards the Cornucopia. Katniss cleared her tears and did as Luctra asked. If Luctra said she could get the medicine then Katniss believed it and she'd shoot any one that got in the way.

"How can you be so sure?" Dash had a little hope back in his shaky voice.

"Because I plan on making a deal with the devil." Luctra told them determined. She would let him break every bone in her body, turn her skin black and blue and give him her soul to rip to pieces if it meant saving Rue.

* * *

" **OW!** " Shouted Marvel as Clove yanked the arrow of his shoulder. She enjoyed his cry of pain a little too much in his opinion. She began to harshly wrap up his shoulder. Cato was drinking some water by the side of the Cornucopia. He had never heard of a Hunger Games pause so none of them really knew what to do. After the quake he hadn't seen where Luctra had gone and decided to head back to the Cornucopia, which was exactly what the rest of Careers had also decided.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE BITCH!" Glimmer screamed. Cato turned to see what Glimmer was yelling at and choked on his water when he saw what it was.

"Game's on pause Raccoon face so you can't do SHIT ALL ABOUT IT!" Luctra snarled back not stopping once. Cato couldn't believe it. Luctra was walking right into the Cornucopia carrying the little girl from 11, while Dash walked at her side carrying a spear and a machete. Katniss brought up the rear bow at the ready.  _'It must have been the little girls scream.'_  Cato thought.

"The hell I can't." Glimmer snapped picking up a short sword. Katniss pulled her bow back tighter.

"One wrong step and I drop you like road kill." Katniss warned. Luctra knew they didn't have much time. She stopped a few meters from Cato and looked right at him as he leaned against a cargo bin with a canteen in his hand arms crossed. He was in charge of the Careers so Luctra knew she could to make her plea to him and it would be upheld. Softening her face she looked into his blue eyes which were shining in shock and curiosity, hers shone with complete desperation.

"Let me save her and when the Game starts up again I won't run. I'll stay here and you can kill me freely. I forfeit my life to you in exchange for saving hers." She pleaded but her voice was strong. Dash gasped beside her and started to protest but Luctra ignored him never looking away from Cato.

Cato felt his stomach tighten. Luctra was offering herself in exchange for medical supplies to save the little girl. He would get what he wanted, but not in the exact way he wanted it. She would be back with him but not freely. Anything that happened between them now would be clouded by the fact that she belonged to him. Everything she allowed to happen, everything she allowed him to do to her would be because of this deal. She was putting herself on a silver platter to the person she probably feared the most in the games. His animal purred in pleasure at the demonstration of courage and complete self-sacrifice, at the true alpha female before it. His animal acknowledge Rue as being part of Luctra's pack and Luctra's plea to save Rue as a demonstration of loyalty and determination to protect her pack from death. Cato understood now what they meant by calling her an alpha female. She was the strongest, bravest and would do what ever it took to make sure her pack was taken care, even if it meant sacrificing herself.

Even with all that at least he would get to talk to her by accepting her offer. And with the games on pause maybe he could get through to her. Break through her fear and make her come to him freely. Cato kept a mask of indifference on his face. He lifted an eyebrow and shoved off the cargo bin. Reaching down he opened the bin. He had coincidentally been sitting on the medical supply cargo bin. Relief washed over Luctra's face as Cato had accepted her offering.

"Thank you." She nodded. Luctra rushed up and placed Rue onto of one of the cargo bins. Katniss was shocked Cato had agreed, was Luctra that much of a danger that this was the only way Cato would be able to kill her?

With Katniss at the ready and Dash at Rue's side Luctra ran up to the bin beside Cato. When she had put the girl down Cato felt a jolt of fear. Luctra was shirtless and had blood covering the front of her body and hands. He relaxed when he realized it must be the little girl's. Luctra was digging through the box like a mad woman pulling out things she knew and thought she might need. She was worried because some of the stuff was clearly specialty Capitol medicine and she had no clue what it was for. An arm reached around her and she felt a warm body behind her. The hand reached down and pulled out a metal syringe. She inhaled the smell of musk and mint, and it calmed her a small amount.

"You'll need this." Cato whispered in her ear. Luctra shivered. She wanted to fold into his body, to have him tell her he could fix this, that she hadn't failed Rue. "It'll put her to sleep and take away the pain." Luctra nodded nimbly and took the syringe grazing Cato's fingers as she did. She moved out of the circle of his body. She reminded herself that it was her job alone to protect Rue and Dash, she didn't need Cato's help or validation. Cato picked up Glimmer's discarded jacket and cleaned the blood transfer from where Luctra's blood covered fingers had touched his. His fingers still felt warm from her small touch.

Luctra ran back to Rue putting the supplies on the cargo bin beside Rue's small body. She inserted the syringe into Rue's arm and injected her with half of the fluid in it, not sure that she should use it all on a person of Rue's small size. She watched as Rue relaxed and fell asleep quietly. Rue was paling. Luctra had to stop the bleeding and fast.

"WHAT THE HELL! IS THIS A FUCKING JOKE!" Glimmer cried. Luctra looked over. Fox Face was coming out of the woods cautiously. Luctra remembered that the girl was brilliant.

"HEY I NEED YOUR HELP!" Luctra shouted waving Fox Face over with a bloody hand. Fox Face knew she could trust Luctra. Fox Face had listened to Luctra from her hiding spot in the bushes, close to where Marvel had thrown the spear, as Luctra had told Katniss and her District partner that she was going to save Rue. Running around to the side of the Cornucopia that Luctra was on, making sure to go behind Katniss for safety, Fox Face came to the other side of the cargo bin Rue had been placed on. Katniss moved herself between the cargo bin and where the Careers were all standing. Cato watch the Girl on Fire become a weaponized barrier between the Careers and Rue. Luctra was seriously having a bad affect on people's need to protect small children Cato mused.

"She was hit with a spear. I put this stuff in her but I'm not sure what I should do now." Luctra said helplessly. Fox Face came around to Luctra's side to see the wound. Silently Fox Face ran to the medical supply cargo bin and pulled a few things out. Together Luctra and Fox Face worked to save Rue. Luctra let Fox Face take over listening to her and following her instructions of 'Pressure here.' Or 'Thread that.' Luctra let out a deep breath of relief as she finished tying the bandage around Rue's abdomen. Cato had watched Luctra the entire time as her face kept shifting from determination, to worry, to fear, to finally relief when Fox Face told her that Rue was now stable.

"Thank you." Luctra tiredly told Fox Face. "If this crap starts up again, though my life belongs to Cato I will see that you get the supplies you need to continue." Luctra couldn't offer the girl anything more and that hurt Luctra. Fox Face was the reason Rue was alive and Luctra wished she could do more fore her. Cato heard what Luctra had said and while he loved hearing her say she belonged to him, the fact was she had only come to him so she could offer him her life in exchange for the means to save another life. He wanted her to belong to him but he wanted the only string attached to be the string of her wanting him.

"She needs to be kept warm." Fox Face said wiping some sweat off her forehead with her sleeve. Both her hands like Luctra's were covered in blood. Luctra looked around and spotted a sleeping bag. Rushing over she picked it up.

"Paws off that's mine." A voice grunted. Luctra saw Katniss focuse her bow on a specific target.

Luctra looked up at Glimmer. Luctra had almost the same look in her eyes as the day she beat Glimmer up in training. Except this time it was more vicious and dark. Like Luctra would rip out Glimmer's heart without blinking an eye and then make Glimmer eat it as she died. Luctra stood straight up. This was the first time Cato had seen Luctra actually physically protecting someone, letting her alpha female, her animal, come to the surface. The little girl was under Luctra's protection and this was Luctra demonstrating she would rip anyone apart that tried to stop her from doing her job. Cato respected her even more now. Though highly inappropriate his animal delighted in the idea of a show down between the two girls, to watch Luctra exert her role as alpha female over his Careers pack. That and his animal had really become annoyed with Glimmer's advances and wanted to see Glimmer get shit kicked by ITS chosen female.

"Try and take it from me and these paws I will tear off every layer of your skin one by one." Luctra's voice quietly threatened. Cato felt the hair at the back of his neck stand up. It was dangerously seductive the way Luctra was holding herself. The animal in Cato rose up saying this was the creature Cato needed to make surrender to his dominance and make part of his pack as his mate, to make the pack bigger and stronger by blending his with hers. Funny how this part of him, the part that wanted to be around people, to make a pack/family, had come back to life since Luctra came around. It had taken the place of the imposed sadistic killer part of him completely now. Glimmer visible shrunk back a few inches seeing Luctra's power and dark side for the first time. Luctra saw Glimmer shrink and took that as Glimmer's surrender. Luctra turned and rushed over to Rue, spreading the opened up sleeping bag over the little girl. Glimmer walked off in a huff. Cato watched Luctra bend over the little girl and kiss her forehead.

"I'm so sorry Rue. I should have been there. It should have been me. I failed and I'll never forgive myself." Luctra's voice broke a bit as she ran her hands over Rue's braids tenderly. Cato felt like an invader on such a tender moment. Just then everyone grabbed onto something as the ground began to shake again. Luctra threw her arms over Rue fighting to keep Rue from shifting too much and reopening the wound that Fox Face and just stitched up. They all looked around when the rumbling stopped.

"What the fuck is going on?" Clove demanded getting up off the ground from where she had fallen.

"Don't be pissed short stack you don't have as far a trip to the ground as the rest of us." Luctra taunted. Clove twirled a knife around her hand threateningly. Luctra just raised an eyebrow in return. Cato cracked a half smile as he leaned against the Cornucopia again. Watching Clove and Luctra throw barbs at each other was always entertaining.

"I need to go find Peeta." Katniss declared looking around the arena ignoring Clove completely. Peeta had saved her life from Cato. After Luctra had blown her out of the water Katniss had an epiphany. Gail had never once said he wished he could take her place, he just assumed her skills were going to bring her back to him. She wasn't going to disregard Peeta anymore, not after Luctra had opened her eyes to what it really meant for Peeta to try and save her. Katniss had woken up and really seen what Peeta had done for her. If he needed her help she was there for him now just as strongly as he had been there for her.

"Go get him and bring him back here. I think I know what's going on but everyone alive should be here before I say anything." Luctra commented grabbing the roll of duct tape from Dash's bag.

"What do you mean 'you know'?" Clove demanded crossly. Luctra ignored Clove completely since it wasn't safe yet to give away the information she had. Luctra with the help of Dash began duct taping Rue gently to the cargo bin so Rue wouldn't move if the ground shook again.

Cato read between the lines. Luctra knew what might be happening but she wasn't going to say anything until the sides were more balanced, which is why she wanted Peeta with them.

"Katniss go get him. He's by the river where we were camped but be careful you don't step on him." Luctra cryptically told her ask she ripped the last strip of duct tape with her teeth. Katniss nodded and took off. Luctra immediately felt tense at the loss of Katniss's bow. Finishing up with Rue Luctra looked around her. She was in the Cornucopia with the four Careers, two of which were missing, Dash, Fox Face and Rue who was immobile and injured. If the Careers changed their minds and broke the pause rules Luctra's clan would all be dead in a matter of minutes. Luctra looked around again.

"Marvel you can come out now." Luctra called out to the missing Career as she leaned back against Rue's cargo bin.

"How about no." Marvel shouted back. Luctra figured he was on the other side of the metal structure.

"It's a pause I can't kill you." Luctra rolled her neck trying to ease the tension. Cato watched her like a hawk. She was leaning shirtless against the cargo bin covered in someone else's blood and stretching her tense muscles making them flex and release. She looked fierce, like his equal.

"Doesn't mean you won't make me look like a raccoon, or a toothless beaver." Marvel interjected. Luctra raised an eyebrow at Fox Face. Both were confused as to what a toothless beaver would actually look like. Marvel was weird.

"I promise I won't hurt you." Luctra promised and rolled her shoulder. It was the one that had taken the beating against Cato. She felt like it had been hit by a train. Cato smirked, he knew why Luctra was wincing rolling that particular shoulder. Maybe now she would see how gentle he was with her compared to what he was actually capable of.

"Okay." Marvel came around the structure with a huge grin on his face. Luctra laughed. The kid seriously could be happy anywhere. It was kinda freaky. Seeing Marvel holding his arm though Luctra felt a swell of anger remembering he was the one that hurt Rue. Marvel felt the change, Luctra's anger almost palpable.

"Hey you promised!" Marvel reminded her as he stopped and then began to retreat. Luctra relaxed as best she could. Forgetting about the blood on her hands she began to massage her temples. Cato noticed that they both did the same thing when they were frustrated or trying to calm themselves.

"I know. But understand you take another shot at her, or Dash, and you had better pray that Cato kills me before I get my hands on you." Luctra was dead serious and Marvel knew that. Cato wanted to shout he wasn't going to kill her, but then he would have a lot of explaining to do to Clove and he wanted to avoid that.

"Fair enough." Marvel said nodding in agreement. Luctra looked up at him, fingers still on her temples. Marvel was seriously weird. An award silence followed.

* * *

Luctra listened to the steady sound of Rue's breathing behind her. Between every breath Luctra tensed and then relaxed when the next one came. She was responsible for Rue getting hurt. If she had just run out when she heard Marvel coming, or heard Cato behind her, or pushed for them to avoid the Cornucopia altogether they would have all been fine when the pause was called. Instead Rue was hurt and she had willingly traded her life to the most dangerous person she had ever met. Not dangerous just because he was an exceptionally talented killing machine, but because he was everything she feared most in life emotionally.

Cato watched Luctra from his spot leaning against the metal structure of the Cornucopia. She was clearly blaming herself for what happened to Rue still. Cato knew that she was the type that would probably blame herself for the rest of her life. The blood was drying onto her body turning a rust color. Unlike in the cave right now Luctra again looked much older. She looked as if she was carrying the world on her shoulders and the weight from it was breaking her spirit slowly. Trying to keep two people alive in the Hunger Games could do that to a person, though Cato couldn't remember any other tribute that had ever tried to do it since it was down right INSANE.

"How old are you?" Cato couldn't stop himself from asking; he had wanted to know since the cave. Luctra looked up at him surprised by the question yet instantly knowing it was directed at her.

"Seventeen. You?" Luctra wasn't sure why he was asking her, or why she had asked him back.

"Eighteen." He answered.

"I'm seventeen." Marvel piped in biting into an apple. He had a bag of them in his hands and began passing them around, to everyone, including the non-careers. He tossed one to Luctra who caught it and she was about to bite into it but then put it down instead.

"Ten years older than you act." Clove cracked from her new spot the top of the Cornucopia. She made Luctra uncomfortable sitting up there due to the vantage point it provided. Cato chuckled and bit into his apple. Marvel flipped off Clove.

"I'm twelve and so is Ruby Rue." Dash blushed when he realized he said the last part out loud. Cato watched as Luctra smiled tenderly at Dash.  _'That's why she's protecting Rue. Rue matters to Dash. They act like they're a damn family.'_  Cato thought slightly bitter. Luctra had somehow managed to create a meaningful family around her in the artificial world of the Hunger Games that had more love and loyalty in it then his own family had in real life had.

"Ruby Rue? That's lame." Clove shot down Dash. Luctra glared up at the girl on the Cornucopia.

"Knock it off Short Stack." Luctra challenged. There was a glaring contest between the two girls until Fox Face spoke.

"I'm 15." She shyly told them taking a big bite out of her apple after. Marvel smiled at her flirtatiously biting into his own apple. Fox Face's cheeks turned a deep red.  _'Marvel_ _just doesn't quit does he?'_  Luctra thought remembering Marvel trying to flirt with her in the training center.

"It's not poisoned." Marvel said when he saw that Luctra hadn't taken a bite out of her apple.

"I know. I'm just not hungry." Luctra responded. Shrugging Marvel turned deciding to make it his personal mission to try to get Fox Face to come out of her shell; she was pretty cute and he was bored.

Luctra was lying about the apple and Cato could tell. Pushing off the structure he walked over to Luctra. Luctra felt herself straighten up defensively as Cato walked over to her, but forced herself to relax when she remember he owned her now. Cato saw Luctra tense and then force herself to relax. Cato knew it was because she was making sure he knew she was going to keep her part of the deal. Leaning next to her against Rue's cargo box Cato picked up Luctra's apple. It had blood transfer on it from her hands. He looked from the apple to Luctra who was looking back at him and then put her apple back down. Without speaking he pulled a knife from his belt, the one Brutus had sent him oddly enough, and ignoring as Luctra tensed he used the knife to cut a slice from his apple.

Balancing the slice on the knife he held it out to Luctra. Luctra stared at the piece of the apple sitting on Cato's outstretched knife. It was as kind gesture but Luctra was reluctant to take it. Nice Cato meant attractive Cato which was dangerous to all the walls she had put up since she the first time a boy called her butch. But she had learned that making Cato mad really never got her any where but into a fight. With Rue the way she was Luctra couldn't afford to get into a fight with him. She moved her face to the knife. She placed the tip of her tongue under the edge of the apple. Using the tip of her tongue she pulled the slice a safe distance away from the sharp blade of the knife. She then closed her lips around the slice, lifted it from the knife and pulled it back between her lips and into her mouth. She chewed it down thoughtfully. He had her life in his hands, no matter what he did Luctra could hold on to the idea that she let him do it because of the deal. Nothing more.

Cato watched her mental debate over taking the apple slice. As if it were a life altering decision for her. He watched as she moved her face to the apple slice and her delicate tongue had pulled the slice to the edge the knife and then pulled between her slightly chapped lips. Cato felt blood rush to his groin thinking about what he could teach her to do with that tongue.

Everything she did was a turn on because it was so natural, without pretense. She had no idea about his legacy and probably wouldn't give a shit about his wealth if she found out about it. He watched her continue to pull the apple piece through her lips and into her mouth. He thought back his Tracker Jacker hallucination. Those lips on his body had been pulling on his skin like she had just pulled in the apple piece. He cut another piece and held it out to her getting excited as he watched her repeat the retrieval process with her tongue. He continued to feed her enjoying every time her tongue would dart out or her lips would work to pull the piece into her mouth. He wondered if she would taste like apple right now. Or if she tasted like sea salt and vanilla everywhere.

"Thank you. I won't go back on my word." Luctra told him, chewing her last bit of apple. She was looking straight ahead. She didn't want to see the triumph in his eyes. He had been right in the elevator, he had become her only option the minute she agreed to try and destroy the supplies.

"I know you won't." Cato took his last bite of apple and threw the core away. He put the knife away and passed a canteen to Luctra, and Luctra remembered their meal in the cave. She grabbed it and took a huge sip. Cato could deal with blood on the canteen as far as Luctra was concerned. Cato watched her throat muscles work as she drank the water down deeply, a small trickle coming out the side of her mouth. He wondered if she had a spot on her neck that would drive her wild if he licked it.

There had to be a way to get her to come to him with it being a sacrifice. He really needed to sort things out with her, but there were too many people around.

Neither noticed a pair of emerald green eyes glaring at them from across the clearing.

* * *

AN: See no dead Rue! It was more important for the story that Luctra have no choice but to go back to Cato, and for once Cato had to rethink his actions because he would never know if she liked him, or was just keeping up her end of the bargain. Are all of you getting irritated waiting for their first REAL physical moment? Hmmmm…..BWHAHAHAA I'm not telling you when it is but have faith it is coming and it's SO them!

Luv

Rayn


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Enjoy!

Chapter Sixteen:

Where there's Water, There's Luctra

The sun was getting lower in the unstable arena. Rue's blood was starting to feel really sticky as it began to dry onto her skin. Her leather gloves were stained and would be a constant reminder of her failure to Rue. Luctra started picking flecks of the dried blood and dirt off the gloves absentmindedly. The pause had seemed to put the Hunger Games at the back of everyone's minds. As if everyone was thinking 'ok we stopped, now what…?' Would the break change anything? Or would everyone scatter if the Gamemarkers announced the 12 hour warning mark; all forgetting the loose camaraderie that had begun forming between Cato's Careers and the Luctra Clan. Then again it's not like she could scatter with them could she.

"You need to get cleaned up." Dash spoke quietly. Luctra looked back at him. He hadn't left Rue's side this whole time, and probably wouldn't any time soon. He was as dedicated to Rue as Luctra was to him.

"Why do I smell?" Luctra joked.

"You look like you left the plant without changing." Dash wrinkled his nose up in disgust. Luctra snorted. Dash frowned at her then looked back at Rue. Then it hit Luctra that seeing all of Rue's blood on her was probably bothering Dash, making him feel guilty every time he looked at her. But she didn't feel comfortable leaving them alone with just Fox Face as protection.  _'I really have to learn her name…'_ Luctra thought.

"There's a stream nearby that runs off from the river." Marvel supplied from beside Fox Face after he heard what Dash had said. Fox Face and Marvel had been sitting together since the apples had been passed out.

"Yeah well what's to stop her from pairing up with Fire Girl and Lover Boy and plotting?" Glimmer contested. She didn't want Luctra cleaned up; she wanted her looking like crap, that way Cato might eventually stop looking at Luctra and focus on her.

Cato saw his opportunity and took it. "I'll go with her." Six sets of eyes simultaneously whipped to his face. He looked straight back into Luctra's and saw her reluctance. He noticed she had gripped the side of Rue's cargo container. She was afraid to leave the little girl.

"Clove?" Cato shouted not breaking eye contact with Luctra.

"What?" Clove grunted.

"Anyone makes a move to kill, Career or otherwise, you have my permission to kill them slowly." Cato told Clove. Cato raised one eyebrow and cocked his head to the side at Luctra; nonverbally asking 'that good enough'.

"YES!" Clove cried tossing up a knife and catching it. The girl was a little too happy at being given permission to kill people in Luctra's opinion. Luctra looked back at Cato, she couldn't turn him down. She had given him her life and she needed to wash off if only for Dash's sake.

Luctra nodded to Cato and picked up her shirt that had been discarded by Fox Face while she treated Rue. Cato picked up his sword. He walked by Luctra and out into the field. As he passed Luctra followed him, arms distance away and slightly behind. Cato didn't like the distance but the others would see him if he moved closer to her.

It was weird, she was fine walking around like this, in her sports bra, with EVERYONE there but when it was just her and Cato she was uncomfortable. She had her arms crossed over her body self-consciously again, and Cato noticed her sudden discomfort. As they walked Cato was trying to figure out what to say, and Luctra was terrified she would say something wrong if she did talk. They walked in silence. He still hadn't brought up the bowl, or the Tracker Jackers, or the sword fight and that scared Luctra thinking he was like a volcano and all these things were adding up to an explosion against her.

Once they got to the stream Luctra took off her boots and socks. All her clothes were already dirty so she just walked into the water, leaving her shirt on the bank to be washed later. The water only came up to about mid thigh. With her back to Cato Luctra bent and began washing her hands off in the water. Cato watched as she bent over to wash her hands and decided to check out her rear while he had the chance. The pants stretched tight over her cheeks giving Cato a great view of her full yet firm rear end. He imagined standing in front of her, reaching behind and grabbing her rear and pulling her up against him. He heard her sigh as she stood straight again. Cato opened his mouth to speak.

***SPLASH***

Cato blinked a few times. Just to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Nope Luctra had belly flopped face down into the water. It was the most ungraceful thing he had ever seen. Again he was hit with the fact that Luctra was nothing like any other girl he had wanted. Most would have washed seductively, begging him to join them and help. Luctra, well she just dropped into the water like a piece of marble. He began laughing softly, then harder and harder till he had to hold his sides he was laughing so hard.

Luctra stayed under the water as long she could. She was so exhausted mentally that it just seemed fitting to crash into the water. It felt good and a lot of the dried blood would have been knocked off from the impact. Needing air Luctra brought her knees to the stream floor underneath her; rolled her body up and flipped her head back sending her hair flying over her head and off her face.

"You know you really are from District 4." Cato called his laughter having died down to small chuckle when Luctra came through the surface of the water. Luctra remained on her knees, feeling the light pull of her new scar on her leg. She turned to face Cato but remained on her knees in the water.

"I didn't think that was in question." She mumbled as she rubbed her hands over her stomach in the water and then started to scrub her gloved hands.

"What I mean is every time I'm around you; you keep ending up in the water somehow." Cato joked lightly. He had taken a seat on a boulder close to the edge of the water. Luctra stopped scrubbing and looked up unsure. She stared at him a moment before she went back to scrubbing the blood off of herself. It was safer not to answer him; the cave, the waterfall, the river were all way too dangerous to talk about. She was sitting on his hair trigger she could just feel it. A few minutes passed in awkward silence.

"I wasn't after Dash." Cato said softly. Luctra's eyes snapped to Cato's in disbelief.

"What do you mean?" Luctra replied her voice shaking as she kept scrubbing, but harder. Cato took in a deep breath before continuing.

"I misunderstood you. I thought you realized, in the elevator, that the offer was for DISTRICT 4, not just you." Cato confessed making it clear it was also partly her fault. Luctra didn't believe him, there was no one else it could have been that would make Cato that mad at her.

"Then who the FUCK did you think I was talking about?" She snarled viciously. Her anger was rising. She had stopped scrubbing.

"Thresh." Cato said flatly. He watched the anger begin to blaze in Luctra's eyes as she stood up in the water.

"I don't believe you!" She hissed storming out of the water towards him. Cato got off the boulder facing Luctra as she approached. "You had to have been after Dash!" She shouted. Luctra began putting the pieces together in her head. It all made sense now. Cato thought she had picked Thresh because she believed Thresh was stronger. She was right; it had all been about Cato's pride, everything he had done, all that they had gone through had had nothing to do with her. Her anger and humiliation blurred all logic. Getting up to Cato she cocked her fist and cranked him across the jaw.

Cato had seen red when her fist had connected with his jaw. She pounded on Cato's chest with her fists. "DON'T TELL ME YOU WEREN'T AFTER HIM! DON'T TELL ME THAT I PUT DASH IN DANGER! THAT I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM FROM THE CHAOS! FROM SEEING RUE HURT!" When he turned his head back to her, had felt her pounding on his chest, and heard what she said he knew she wasn't actually mad at him. She was mad at herself and was taking it out on him. He could take a beating but this needed to stop. He grabbed her wrists.

"IT'S THE HUNGER GAMES LUCTRA!" He shouted over her hysterics. She went silent and looked up at him her eyes filling with tears; she was on the verge of breaking. Cato softened. "Eventually everyone gets attacked; eventually everyone is put in danger." He told her tenderly.

The stress, the guilt, the information, the tenderness in his voice, caused Luctra to break. She dropped to her knees in front of him, Cato still holding her wrists, as the tears flowed freely. Choking back a sob Luctra felt Cato kneel down in front of her letting go of her wrists as he got to her level. Her hands fell lifelessly to her lap. Cato put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to look at him, her face now an inch from his. Tears leaked onto her cheeks. Cato noticed her eyes were greener again with flecks of brown. She looked so fragile to Cato.

 _'You're so good at protecting people. Does anyone bother protecting you?'_  Cato wondered drowning in her eyes that were raw with pure guilt and regret. Luctra decided to let go, for a moment to allow herself to feel the impossibility of what she had taken on. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Cato's and let the tears continue to fall silently. Cato's heart jumped when she leaned her forehead against his hoping she was going to kiss him. Instead he put his hands on her biceps and rubbed his hands up and down over her arms trying to comfort her. They stayed there in that position while Luctra quietly let the stress collapse on her then flow out through her tears. As she sat with Cato who was rubbing her arms to help calm her she made a choice to let herself find out what type of a person Cato was deep down. It was risky because she knew she may end up liking him more depending on the answer. Luctra spoke.

"If you were given a choice. To live the rest of your life as a Hunger Games victor or to risk death by trying to break out of the arena, which would you pick?" She whispered softly. Cato pulled his forehead off of Luctra's. Luctra felt him move back and opened her eyes to stare back into his deep blue ones. Both knew that Cato's answer would change more then just their future in the Hunger Games. Cato brought his hands back to Luctra's wrist just below where the gloves started, and rubbed his thumbs over the inside of Luctra's wrists. Luctra wondered if he could feel her heart beat had picking up speed at the contact.

"I was never given a choice about becoming a killer. I have never had a choice about entering the games. Making a choice for myself would be a nice change." He answered. Luctra smiled to him. Cato hadn't seen that type of smile in a long time. Her smile was filled with pure pride. He smiled back gently. Luctra washed her shirt quickly and they headed back both silent wondering what this choice could bring about for both of them.

* * *

"You stepped on him didn't you?" Luctra laughed as Peeta and Katniss came to the Cornucopia a few hours later. It was just as night was settling over the arena. Katniss nodded chuckling at the inside joke and Peeta grinned. The two of them were walking very close together as they approached.

 _'They must have talked about things.'_  Luctra thought happily. They looked cute together she decided. Luctra had moved from her spot beside Rue to lean against the cargo container just across from Rue's. From there she could keep an eye on Rue and Dash. She had only moved from leaning against Rue's bin originally so Fox Face could change the bandage. Fox Face had also give Rue more painkillers to keep her asleep while the Capitol medicine did its thing.

Peeta faltered abruptly placing himself in front of Katniss. Cato had stood up from digging in one of the cargo bins and Peeta had spotted him.

"Hey Lover Boy. How's the leg?" Cato smirked. Luctra rolled her eyes. Cato could be a real ass when he wanted to be.

"Okay that has to stop." Luctra snapped waving a finger at Cato. Cato smirked even bigger at Luctra. Everyone else turned to look at Luctra expectantly now that Peeta was here.

"The game is on pause and if what I know is true then we're going to need each other." Luctra looked around at everyone as she spoke. "Which means somebody has to go get Thresh and find Azra."

"Whose Azra?" Clove asked puzzled. She was still sitting on top of the Cornucopia randomly throwing knives in the air.

"The kid from District 3." Dash answered from his spot beside Rue.

"Right. So who wants to go get the really scary big guy from the wheat field which he has completely taken over?" Marvel clapped. No one put their hands up. "Really? Nobody wants to go play messenger to District Thresh?" Marvel astonished sarcastically.

"It'll have to be me." Luctra sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. She didn't see Cato start glaring at her.

"And why does it have to be you Seaweed?" Clove condescended. Cato also wanted to hear this answer. Luctra looked up and shot a dark look at Clove.

"Well Rue would be the best choice but she's not able. Dash could go but if Thresh attacked before Dash could explain Dash would be toast." Luctra explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Clove glared at her.

"Then why don't Cato and I go." Glimmer suggested airily hoping to get some serious alone time with Cato. She had come back about an hour ago and had been glued to Cato's side since. Luctra was pleased to see Cato's neck tense when Glimmer made her suggestion.

"Riiiiighhhhhhtttt…" Luctra drew out. "Because sending in the biggest, deadliest, jerkyiest tribute, with whom Thresh has personal problem with is a GENIUS idea." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"One person from each side should go to find them." Fox Face proposed.

"That's a good idea." Marvel complimented causing Fox Face to blush.

"Alright so I'll head to get Thresh with…." Clove glared as Luctra looked at her briefly. "…Marvel and we'll look for Azra on our way back." Luctra concluded. Everyone murmured in agreement, everyone except Cato.

* * *

"Look we can't trust the dome thing around the arena so we're going to go now." Luctra stated. She and Marvel had been deciding when to leave when the arena had rumbled again and went pitch black. About thirty minutes later it was high noon again.

"It's unstable so you shouldn't leave period." Dash argued.

"It's not that far and it has to be done." She calmly told him picking up her jacket. Luctra's tone left no room for argument. She and Marvel were going to stop at the stream so she could clean off her jacket, since she had used to staunch Rue's bleeding. Nothing like asking someone to believe you won't kill them when you show up covered in blood. Marvel was already ready with a backpack of supplies and his spear. Luctra threw on her backpack and looked around.

"Umm…has anyone seen the ornate carver?" Luctra called out. She knew who she should ask but wasn't ready to talk to Cato directly. Things were weird between them since the river. One of her emotional barriers had come down and she was trying to fortify the remaining ones like they were a dam and Cato a raging river. Also Glimmer was starting to really annoy both of them. She was following Cato around like a lost puppy and sending Luctra dirty looks constantly, which only added to Cato and Luctra's awkwardness around each other.

"You mean that short sword thing?" Cato replied from on top of the metal Cornucopia as he walked to the edge where Luctra was below. He had joined Clove not long ago since Glimmer hated being by Clove and Cato didn't want to be by Glimmer. Luctra looked up at him blocking the sun out of her eyes with her hand.

"Yeah the one from the woods." She didn't add the 'attacked you with' part. Cato jumped down from the metal structure top of the structure landing with the dexterity of a cat. Cato walked inside the Cornucopia and grabbed the thing Luctra was talking about. Cato had picked it up after Luctra had run away, even though he didn't know why he was picking it up at the time, and brought it back to the Cornucopia with him. He walked up to Luctra.

"Here." He said holding it out to her. Luctra looked down at the handle. Cato had his massive hand completely wrapped around the hilt. She would have to touch him to take it. She looked up at Cato. There was a challenge in his eyes. Daring her to tell him to put it down so she didn't have to touch him. Luctra's hand shot out and gripped the hilt over Cato's. Cato smirked at her. Luctra glared. He released the carver to her. Luctra got a devilish smirk on her face as she backed up from him, carver now in hand.

"HEY GLIMMER! CATO'S NECK IS BUGGING HIM AND HE NEEDS SOMEONE TO RUB IT!" Luctra shouted at the top of her lungs then turned running past Marvel towards the stream.

* * *

"That was cold. Ice cold." Marvel said to her as they walked to the river. Luctra laughed with Marvel.

"Jerk deserved it." Luctra chuckled. She was beginning to like Marvel. He had a wicked sense of humor and was completely in touch with his inner child. It was hard to grasp that idea when she thought about Rue.

"You know I didn't like doing it." Marvel told her as they got to the edge of the stream. The sun was beating down on them now. Luctra's face lost all traces of laughter and a cold look replaced it.

"You threw a spear at a defenseless twelve year old girl who was stuck in your net." Luctra spoke coldly and didn't look at him. She bent down and started washing her jacket,

"And she dropped a nest of Tracker Jackers on me." Marvel pointed out calmly. Luctra sighed. He had a point.

"Would you do it again? If the 'pause' is called off?" Luctra said turning to him. She waited expectantly.

"I don't know. It's hard to kill someone after you watch someone else fight so hard to save them." Marvel confessed looking into Luctra's eyes. He was being honest and she could appreciate that.

* * *

Marvel and Luctra had blown off some tension at the stream by addressing the whole 'Rue' issue and then proceeding to make as many raccoon jokes and Cato jokes as possible. It was something that truly bonded them. "Ok so how do we do this?" Marvel asked staring at the field.

"Should we just shout and hope for the best?" Luctra suggested shrugging. She really hadn't thought up a plan past actually getting to the field.

"Yeah sure, why the hell not, the situation can't really get much crazier." Marvel threw out. Luctra nodded and took a huge breath of air.

"THRESH I KNOW YOUR IN THERE. WE'VE ALL CALLED A TRUCE AND ARE FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO BACK AT THE CORNUCOPIA." Luctra received no answer. She tried a new approach.

"RUE GOT HURT BUT WE'VE MANAGED TO STABILIZE HER. THE CAREERS AGREED TO GIVE ME THE MEDICINE TO TREAT HER." There was a rustle in the field and suddenly Thresh poked out of the wheat just down from Luctra and Marvel scaring both of them. They hadn't known he was so close to them.

"I can't kill you because of the pause. How can I trust you're not lying?" Thresh was welding a pretty wicked looking scythe. Like her carver it was probably something Thresh was extremely familiar with using.

"On Dash's life I promise I'm not lying." Luctra vowed. Thresh seemed almost convinced.

"Yeah, she also traded her life to Cato to get the medical supplies for Rue." Marvel chimed in. Thresh's eyebrows rose. Luctra just shrugged it off. The scythe dropped to Thresh's side.

"Wanna help us find the kid from 3 on the way back?" Luctra asked Thresh changing the subject.

"He went that way about an hour ago." Thresh pointed to the left.

* * *

Back at the Cornucopia the tributes had set up tents to give them some shade from the heat. Cato had sent Glimmer to go get water. He was going to get back at Luctra for what she did. If having Glimmer touch him wasn't bad enough, Glimmer really sucked at massages. It had felt like someone poking him with the end of a pen her fingers were so damn bony. When he had taken his shirt off because of the heat he had seen Glimmer openly leering at him. While his ego was stroked knowing he still had a strong effect on women, he found it slightly hollow. He blamed that on Luctra. If she had just been like a normal girl and drooled over him he wouldn't have known the difference between attraction and someone just wanting to screw you. Yup it was all her fault.

"Do you think they found him?" Dash vocalized from under the tent with Rue. Cato wasn't surprised that the kid hadn't left the little girls side. It reminded of himself when his little sister got sick, before…Cato refused to go down that memory lane.

"Probably. They may have trouble finding 3 since they didn't have an exact idea where he is." Peeta told Dash from where he sat with Katniss and Fox Face under a different tent. Katniss was talking with Peeta about his painting and Fox Face was chilling with them since Marvel was gone. Cato also wondered what was taking Luctra and Marvel so long.

* * *

"Dude we promise we aren't going to kill you." Marvel hollered up the tree for the tenth time. They had found 3 but he had scampered up a tree and was refusing to come down. He was up high enough that all of them were too heavy to reach him without a branch breaking and pulling a 'Crashing Cato' as Marvel dubbed it. It was getting hot and Luctra was getting uncomfortable with the amount she was sweating.

"The pause is in effect, so we CAN'T kill you." Luctra stressed.

"Yeah but you can capture me and then kill me once the 'pause' is over." Azra shouted down. Luctra looked at Marvel. The kid had a point.

"Fine. Then we're leaving you here. I'm going to the river cause I'm all sweaty and need to cool off." Luctra said stomping off towards the river. Thresh was really hot too so he followed Luctra. Marvel followed close after because he was sick of the kid throwing pine cones at him.

It was so hot and Luctra felt the clothes she was wearing sticking to her skin. Getting to the river and looking at the water she got an idea.

"Marvel do you know what a cannonball contest is?" Luctra grinned. Marvel grinned back. They both stripped down to their underwear and cannonballed into the water off a flagstone at the deeper part of the river. Both surfaced laughing and smiling like maniacs. They looked and saw that Thresh was still on the riverbed.

"You coming?" Luctra called splashing at Marvel. Thresh looked uncomfortable. Marvel splashed back, then looked to Thresh.

"Can you swim?" Marvel questioned being genuinely considerate.

"Not great." Thresh sheepishly looked at his boots. Luctra felt bad but got an idea to make Thresh feel better.

"Don't worry anything happens grab onto me! I'm big and buoyant!" Luctra threw out her arms and flexed grinning like mad trying to make herself look bigger.

"Seriously Thresh she could save a small village from a flash flood with her ass alone!" Luctra fringed mock hurt and dunked Marvel under the water. She knew his comment was directed at making Thresh feel more comfortable so she took no offense. Thresh cracked a smile and stripped down to his arena briefs. Unlike Marvel and Luctra he waded out into the water from the shore slowly to where she and Marvel were. They started a tidal wave war. Luctra begrudgingly admitted that Thersh was the winner after having swallowed her third mouthful of water from Thresh waves.

* * *

"Okay Thresh. Who had the worst Parade costume?" Marvel asked. The three of them had been chilling on a rock on their backs with their feet in the water for about 20 minutes now asking random questions.

"Make a crack about the fish costume and I slap you." Luctra warned. She was actually lying between the two boys.

"Hmm...well I gotta go with District 8." Thresh decided.

"Yeah they were pretty fugly." Marvel agreed.

"District 6 was pretty bad."

All three sat up and looked behind them.

"Well look who decided to stop playing pissed off pigeon." Marvel shot lying back down.

"Hey Azra. Come to join the fun?" Luctra welcomed him as he put his things down, stripped down and jumped in the water.

"What does my mother think seeing me swimming around with three half naked boys?" Luctra joked jumping back into the water to join Azra. It never dawned on her that she should be more concerned what a big blond with temper might think…

"Small chance of that. The cameras are all off." Azra told them cupping water and then throwing it onto his heated face.

"What do you mean 'off'?" Thresh sat up asking. Both Luctra and Marvel were looking at him eagerly to explain also.

"You didn't notice?" Azra asked looking back at them shocked. The other three shook their heads. "None of the cameras are moving, the shutters aren't functioning and during the blackout none of the night vision lights came on."

"How do you know all this?" Luctra asked. Azra looked at Luctra like she was stupid. "Right...District 3, Technology. " Luctra figured out. She was a little embarrassed at that one.

"Wait that means that their not watching us…" Marvel started.

"…which means that they don't know what we're doing…" Thresh continued.

"…which means we could try and break out of the arena." Luctra finished excitedly. The four of them looked at each other. They could try and do something no one had ever tried before. They could try to break out of the Hunger Games.

* * *

"What the fuck is taking them so damn long!" Cato bellowed kicking a stray pot. They had been gone most of the day and it was almost night fall.

"Pot do something to you personally?" Clove shot. She was back on top of the Cornucopia.

"Piss off Clove before I kick you instead of the pot." Cato threatened. Clove looked down at Cato.

"That was lame." She said going back to picking her nails with one of her knives.

"Their coming!" Dash shouted pointing. Cato looked up to where Dash was pointing. Sure enough Luctra, Marvel, Thresh and the kid from 3 were making their way over to the group. However the fact they were back only made Cato angrier.

All of them were soaking wet and laughing while nudging and shoving each other occasionally. But to him the problem was that they were all shirtless, including Luctra, with their pants hanging loosely off their hips. Luctra's were actually open and Cato could see her underwear as her pants hung very low, below the top of her panties, on her hips. Even worse Luctra was in the middle of all of them laughing and happy. His inner animal almost got the better of him, seeing its chosen alpha partner around half naked competition, while she enjoyed herself and let them touch her, though the touches were completely innocent. Cato got the urge to rip all three boys apart.

"Did we miss something?" Fox Face was shocked at the sight of the four in comers, her eyes darting between all of them as she tried not to just stare at Marvel.

"Party down at the river. Once Azzy got his ass off the bark and down with the fishes." Marvel announced and shoved Azra on the shoulder making him bump into Thresh. Thresh looked down, Azra gulped looking up at the big man. Thresh smiled picked up Azra and threw him at Marvel.

"AHHHHHH!" Marvel shouted as he was flattened to the ground by the flying Azra. "I DO NOT NEED A HALF NAKED BOY ON ME! IT'S SOOOOOOO ILLEGAL!"

Luctra grabbed onto Thresh's bicep to hold herself up she was laughing so hard. Thresh's chest vibrated chuckling, proud of his work. She felt a cold shiver run up her spine. She stopped laughing and looked around. Cato was glaring at her and had murder in his eyes. Luctra took a step away from Thresh remembering their conversation the day before.

"So we found them." Luctra offered lamely running her hand through her wet hair. She wasn't sure if Cato being mad at her while other people were around was a good or bad thing.

"I can see that." Cato told her coldly. She felt the boys stiffen and move closer to her. Even Marvel who had just gotten off the ground after Azra seemed to be trying to get between her and Cato's anger. Marvel had been around Cato long enough to know what that tone meant.

"Azra has something we all need to hear." Marvel wasn't being fun Marvel. He was serious dangerous Marvel and Cato noticed the change. Marvel wasn't a big threat to Cato but he did respect him enough to back down a little and listen.

"EVERYBODY COME HERE!" Cato barked. Cato waved his hand for the 'river party people' to continue once everyone was gathered.

"I know why the games are paused." Luctra began. "A rebellion has started somewhere in the Districts, maybe in more than one."

"How the hell would you know that?" "That's not possible." "You're cracked." Burst voices all around.

"SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" Thresh boomed. Cato looked at Thresh darkly. Cato's chest expanded, his shoulders squaring back, fists clinching at his sides, and his jaw flexing as he ground his teeth. Cato was taking this as a challenge from Thresh and by the looks of it Thresh wasn't going to back down since he had basically mimicked Cato's stance. A tense moment passed.

"Ok down boys. Either whip it out and measure or put a leash on it and let Seaweed talk." Clove chimed and rolled her eyes. Both boys gave one final glare before turning back to Luctra.

"As I was saying I got an illegal message with my sponsor gift. A rebellion has started and the Capitol is putting the games on pause while they deal with it." Luctra watched the different expressions around her. Some were confused, disbelief and some were worried.

"The cameras are all off right now. They aren't watching us because, well, why worry about a Hunger Games tributes who are locked in the arena." Azra added seeing the worry. People visibly relaxed. Fox Face looked light a light bulb had just gone off in her head.

"That's why the shield is acting up. Why the power grid lines are surging." She muttered to herself.

"Care to explain to the rest of the class?" Glimmer snipped nastily at Fox Face. Fox Face looked down now completely nervous and self-conscious.

"Hey you make another comment and I'm going to make a hat out of you." Luctra snarled viciously. Glimmer glared back feeling safer now that Cato was clearly mad at Luctra. Marvel ignored the two of them and walked over to Fox Face till he stood right in front of her.

"You were saying about the shield?" He gently asked her. Fox Face looked up. Her cheeks blushed a shade red that was darker then her hair at seeing a shirtless Marvel up close. Marvel smiled encouraging her to continue, and probably a little happy she reacted to his half naked figure positively.

"I'm from the Power District. We are responsible for the energy used to create and run the arena." Everyone nodded, except Luctra and Glimmer who were trying to blow each other up with their eyes. "Well I've noticed that there have been surges, like the black out, and earthquakes and flickers on the grid."

"And that means what exactly?" Dash asked confused.

"Well if Azra is right about the cameras being off, and with the arena going crazy and the shield fluctuations it means that they are diverting power away from the arena, making it weaker." Fox Face finished.

"Which means if we work together and can figure out a way to bring down the shield we ALL can get out of here alive." Luctra stressed the 'all' still looking at Glimmer. Glimmer huffed and rolled her eyes. A flicker of hope sparked in the other 11 sets.

* * *

AN: Hey ya'll! Soooooooooooooo I know that some of you are probably thinking that I am a HUGE tease. Well I am. HAHAHAHAA. I PROMISE you will like the next chapter. :D If you didn't realize it my minor pair is Fox Face and Marvel. There may be others but those two are the main minors right now.

Luv

Rayn


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Enjoy!

Chapter Seventeen:

In My Box and On My Skin

"So if all the cameras are off, how do they know we aren't slaughtering each other right now?" Peeta questioned warily. Everyone got really silent suddenly feeling uncomfortable. No one had thought of that.

"Our personal trackers." Clove pointed out. That Clove would point this out surprised the group, considering out of all of them it was assumed that she was the one enjoying being in the arena the most. Luctra nodded in agreement.

"The Gamemakers probably still have the arena locator map up and running in the Game Control Room. On that map they will have markers for where our trackers are located in the arena." Peeta concluded. It made sense that the Gamemakers wouldn't be completely blind to their movements.

"So if the tracker signal goes dead, and there is another tribute right beside them on the map it's a pretty safe guess that that tribute killed them and violated the pause." Katniss summed up sitting between Fox Face and Peeta. Everyone visibly relaxed. The truce was held by a string that could easily break, and being able to kill another tribute without anyone knowing you did it was a pretty big pair of scissors to that string.

"How are we going to bring down the shield though?" Cato voiced cooly. Fox Face didn't have an answer and looked uncomfortable with having to tell Cato that. Luctra was worried. If they didn't come up with an idea before the cameras turned back on, they were all fucked. And the Games could just start again if one person decided to fuck the stalemate and try to win while they came up with a plan. The wind began to pick up and the sky turned eerily black with clouds. Luctra noticed the quick change.

"Uhhh…guys…" No one paid attention to Luctra, as they were to busy throwing out ideas. Lightning streaked across the sky. Everyone jumped.

"EVERYONE IN THE STRUCTURE NOW!" Cato shouted just as the wind picked up violently and more lightning cracked. Luctra ran to Rue and Dash. They couldn't move her off the cargo box yet, her injury was still too fresh. They would have to move the whole thing.

"GUYS WE NEED HELP!" Dash shouted over the now howling wind. Peeta and Thresh came running over. The three of them with Luctra at the front picked up the heavy cargo box and started moving but it was going slow, too slow considering the sudden temperature drop. Then the weight got lighter. Luctra looked over her shoulder. At the foot of the container was Peeta, Thresh on the right side of Rue and now on her left, was Cato. She smiled briefly back at him in thanks, as they hurriedly got Rue under the Cornucopia.

The rain began to pummel down just after they got in. Fox Face immediately threw another sleeping bag and then a tarp over Rue to keep Rue warm and dry while the storm raged. There wasn't much room under the actual Cornucopia. The Careers had stacked all the supplies and weapons in there while they went hunting. Everyone had piled between things as they tried to get out of the storm, so cargo boxes got shifted and people got separated. Right now everyone was in different sections between cargo bins and weapons racks unable to see each other for the most part.

"Everybody make it in?" Marvel shouted. A bunch of 'yes's' and 'I'm here's' echoed. Luctra couldn't see Marvel since she had ended up at the back of the Cornucopia in a corner looking for sleeping bags. So when some containers and a weapons rack got shoved while people piled in she found herself surrounded by stuff. She was literally boxed into the back corner.

"Right cause THAT answers my question!" Marvel groaned sarcastically.

"Ok going by District highest to lowest shout your name! People with partners, girls go first!" Cato called taking charge. Luctra now knew he was actually just on the other side of the cargo bins that were separating her from the rest of the group.

"Katniss!"

"PEETA!" "Not so loud I'm right next to you." Katniss complained. Everyone laughed when Peeta muttered 'sorry'.

"Thresh"

"RUE" Dash called out for Rue.

"Foxy!"

"That's seriously your name?" Luctra heard Glimmer snip, thankfully, from the opposite side of the structure from where Luctra was.

"No but like you fuckers would know my real name if I said it." Foxy snapped back. Luctra laughed so hard she started crying.

"Marvel you are so corrupting her! Oh and LUCTRA!" Luctra swore she could hear Marvel smirking.

"Dash!"

"Azra"

"Clove! And Glimmer you get any closer to me and I'm going to risk Rabies and Enobaria you." Luctra started laughing all over again.

"Cato" He called. Cato took note from where Luctra had called out from and knew she was jusy on the other side of the cargo bins he was standing beside. Now he could move the weapons rack at the end and let her out or…...Cato grinned.

"Glimmer! I hate you Clove."

"You still look like a raccoon." Clove snapped. Luctra heard Glimmer screech at the continued insult. Luctra laughed and wondered if Glimmer knew that she had kicked her in the face again when she had been passed out.

"Magnificent Marvel! HAHA best for last. Suck it CATO!"

"I'm right here Marvel." Luctra heard Marvel squeak. He must not have noticed that Cato was so close to him.

"Right so we are all pretty much stuck where we are. Everyone got the shit they need for the night?" Cato asked. A round of mostly 'yes' followed with a few 'no's' and then some 'here you go'.

"I kinda don't have anything." Luctra called from her box. She liked how cozy it was, but it was cold and she had nothing to pad the floor with.

* **BAM***

"Ow who the fuck threw that!" Luctra looked down at the sleeping bag that had just hit her on the head, rubbing the spot on her head where it had hit. Another bag flew over, but she dodged it. "Seriously give me some warning!" She heard someone climbing the other side of the containers. Looking up she saw Cato come over. He smoothly dropped down beside her. He was in her box.

"It's not your box anymore." Cato smirked at Luctra's obvious discomfort that he was in 'her' space. It was almost like when she declared what her side of the cave was.

' _I really need to stop saying what I'm thinking out loud.'_  She told herself.

"Plus the area on the other side was too small for me." Cato added. Luctra was about to protest when a clap of thunder boomed outside making her jump.

"Get comfy everyone it's going to be a long and bumpy night." Marvel shouted. Luctra smiled getting the urge to pick on Marvel to distract her from the fact she was once again in a confined space with Cato. She knew from the roll call that Foxy was beside Marvel.

"You're such a pig Marvel." Luctra shouted and smirked at Cato. Cato raised an eyebrow.

"What! NO! I didn't mean…piss off Luctra." Marvel stuttered. To Cato, if Marvel was talking like that, he must not want Foxy to worry that he thinking was along those lines. Marvel must actually like the girl Cato astonished.

"If we hear any weird noises we're both coming over there." Cato smiled jumping in. He loved picking on Marvel.

"You got that Foxy. No playing down the rabbit hole!" Luctra full on grinned. Cato's eyebrows shot up, Luctra had a dirty mind. He banked that information with the other pieces.

"Fine we'll just work on burrowing together!" Foxy called back. Luctra's mouth dropped open in shock. Marvel was seriously having a bad effect on the girl. Either that or Foxy just needed someone she felt comfortable with to let her real self shine. Marvel was probably grinning like he won the lottery right now Luctra mused.

"You people are so gross." Dash declared. Luctra paled. She had forgotten that Dash was here. Cato laughed at her facial expression. The only light in the structure came from the pot light at the top of the metal structure which was partially blocked by the cargo bins. But Cato and Luctra could see each other clearly.

"You forgot he was here didn't you." Cato commented. Cato laughed harder when Luctra just glared at him. Luctra got a sudden chill and shivered. It was getting colder out. Cato saw her shiver.

"We should get into the sleeping bag before the temperature drops anymore." He told her. Cato picked up the bag and began unzipping it. Luctra nodded and looked at their space. Luctra's box was actually more of a rectangle. There wouldn't be enough room for them to sit side by side at the top, and if they sat side by side the other way their legs would cramp up. Also there was only one bag. No, Luctra was going to have to sit in front of or behind Cato.

"You sure the other side was too small?" Luctra asked as Cato got himself situated sitting against the wall of the Cornucopia at the top of her rectangle, his feet ending about two feet from where she was standing beside the weapons rack which was at the end of the rectangle.

"Positive." Cato settled patting the ground between his legs grinning up at her. Luctra stared him down. She would sleep standing if she had to. Cato got that threatening look in his eyes when Luctra didn't move.

"Take a seat or I start making weird sounds that will scar Dash for life." Cato told her quietly so the other couldn't hear. Luctra knew he was daring her to doubt him, call him on a bluff and see if he would do it.

"You know I'll do it." Cato chimed smugly. Luctra knew he would. Huffing she walked over and stood between his legs. She plopped down making sure to slam into his chest as she did. She smiled happily as the air rushed out of Cato's lungs in a hard 'whoosh'.

"Sorry, you ok?" She faked concern. Cato knew she had done it on purpose. Delicate was not in Luctra's vocabulary at all he decided. Not that that was entirely a bad thing.

"Just fine. Grab the bag would you?" He told her shortly after refilling his lungs with air. Cato now had Luctra exactly where he had wanted her in the cave. Between his legs and cuddled into his chest. Luctra crawled forward a bit and grabbed the bag. As she went to lean back she felt Cato's hands on her shoulders, preventing her from slamming back into his chest again. She grinned to herself. Leaning back on Cato's chest she started opening the bag ignoring how his muscles felt against her back.

"You should really take those off." Cato told her.

"You had better not be talking about my pants." Luctra warned. Cato rolled his eyes. This girl just didn't give an inch.

"I mean your gloves." Cato clarified. Luctra pushed the bag away.

"No." Luctra crossed her arms and stuck her hands under her armpits. Cato was really getting sick of hearing that word from her. He leaned his face forward and brought his lips next to her ear.

"Take. Them. Off." He growled into her ear. Luctra shivered. That growl got to her every time. Luctra ground her teeth. He hadn't seen the damage to her hands and she didn't want him to. She turned her face so her lips were at his ear, her lips coming dangerously close to his as they passed by.

"Not. A. Chance." She growled back. Cato's eyes dilated becoming liquid sapphires again. The animal had broken through. In growling Luctra's animal side had challenged his and Cato's wasn't backing down this time. Luctra felt Cato's chest rumble and knew that the volcano had reached eruption. She took her hands out of her armpits preparing for the confrontation. It took less then a second for it to start.

Catos tightened his thighs on Luctra's hips to hold her there as he reached around her. Luctra quickly leaned forward and tried to roll out of his thighs that were tightly gripping her hips. Cato grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back to his chest. Cato threw one arm around the front of her upper body gripping the opposite shoulder. Luctra lifted her hands and gripped his bicep trying to pry it off her. Cato leaned them forward and shifted his hips to the side, bringing his back off the wall and moving his upper body to Luctra's side.

Cato used his arm to force her shoulders towards the ground past his upper body in the vacant space his upper body had left behind her. Luctra strained her stomach muscles fighting not to let him push her to the ground. She was balanced on his thigh, the one he had shifted to under her lower back when he had moved his upper body and hips. He over powered her abs and her shoulders hit the floor. She started to use her legs bridge off his thigh. Cato threw his free leg over her thighs and brought his knee down on the opposite side, he pulled his other leg from under Luctra's body at the same time.

Luctra's butt and back hit the floor as Cato removed his thigh from under her. He dropped his weight down onto her thighs stopping her bridge. He was now on top her her straddling her legs. She began to sit up so she could push him off of her. Cato gripped her shoulders and forced them to the ground again. Her shoulders hit the ground with a small thud. She bridge onto her shoulders bucking her hips up forcing Cato's balance forward. Cato's hand shot out and slammed into the metal wall above Luctra's head to steady his balance. She wouldn't be able to knock him off and she knew it. Coming out of the bridge Luctra forced her hands under her butt and pinned them there with her own body weight, still defying his request even though he had her pinned to the floor. Cato wasn't happy when she sat on her hands. He was sick of her not doing what he asked, sick of her fighting him over STUPID things.

Cato brought his face down to hover above hers, his one hand still on the wall the other one on his thigh. He dragged his hand down the wall towards her body. At the same time Cato's other hand slid off his thigh up the exposed part of her forearm, over the crease of her elbow, then he dragged it up over her bicep to her shoulder. There he placed his thumb at the junction of her shoulder joint. Luctra's breath hitched as she saw and felt his incoming hands. His other hand and thumb had taken up the same position on her other shoulder. Cato leaned his face further down to Luctra's making them only centimeters apart. His eyes were burning sapphires.

"Give. Me. Your. Hands." He demanded. His hot breath danced the words over her lips. She wasn't going to back down. She wasn't going to give in to him. If it was a power struggle he wanted, then a power struggle he would get. Luctra felt a snarl resonate in her throat. She lifted her head sharply and snapped her teeth at him. Cato backed his face out of her range as she came at him. His animal got excited when she tried to bite him, demanding he mark her instead; force her to accept a symbol that would tell the world she was his. Her eyes were burning, gold flashing through the green and brown. Cato bent his head back down, his eyes daring her to try and bite him again. Luctra was tempted to try it again, but she had seen the excitement it caused him. He began pushing his thumbs down slowly into the skin putting pressure on the joint. Luctra bit her lip as the pain increased as his thumbs pushed deeper. Cato pressed deeper into the joint. Luctra was breathing hard fighting the pain that radiated down her arms. Cato saw angry tears beginning to form in her eyes since she never looked away from his. He was almost there, almost at her threshold. Luctra let out a harsh breath of air yanking her hands out from under her.

Cato's hands flew down as he felt her hands pull out. He grabbed both her wrists bringing them to his chest and sat back straddling her thighs. Her eyes burned into him in fury as she lay on the ground beneath him. Cato held her wrists painfully tight in his hands. His eyes shining back into hers with victory. He brought her hands out from his chest in front of him. He would take the gloves off himself, but he couldn't let go of her wrists. He leaned his face to her right wrist, never breaking eye contact. He took the snap button on the glove into his teeth and pulled it open. He turned his face and did the same to her left hand. Luctra pulsed with anger her hands balling into fists.

Cato looked at her right balled fist then back into her eyes. He was telling her he was giving her a chance to release it. Her fist tightened more in defiance. Luctra saw Cato's eyes flash hungrily. Cato slackened his grip on her right wrist and moved his hand down to just below her wrist joint. Cato brought his lips close to her wrist. Luctra held her breath not sure what he was going to do. Cato's tongue darted out to trace the skin on her inner wrist. Luctra gasped her hand automatically releasing. Luctra began to pant her body tingling as his wet tongue danced across the skin on her wrist.

Cato looked down watching her reaction as he drew slow patterns on her skin with his tongue. She looked amazing when she was getting aroused. His tongue slipped under the fabric of her glove below her thumb pad and pulled the fabric between his teeth. Luctra was mesmerized wondering what else his tongue could do. He pulled the fabric up and off her hand. He released the glove from his teeth and it dropped onto Luctra's stomach. He turned to her left wrist. He bent his face down to it never taking his eyes from hers. Luctra's hand opened in anticipation when she felt his breath on her wrist. Cato lips spread into a half smirk. He drew his tongue out onto her wrist dragging it up and under the fabric at her thumb pad. Her breathing was almost erratic now as her stomach tightened with every inch his tongue touched. He pulled her second glove off with his teeth and dropped it to the ground. Luctra's body hummed from his tongue on her wrists which had sent sparks through her body. It was so gentle, but so erotic.

He stared down at Luctra. Her chest was rising and falling quickly, her eyes brownish gold and full of wonder at what was all new to her. Cato squeezed his thighs tighter. Luctra wet her dry lips feeling the strength of the legs she had fantasized about since the cave. Cato opened his fingers, releasing his tight hold on her wrists. Then dragging his hands over her skin up to her palms he laced his fingers with hers. Luctra's mind had fogged over with primal hunger and she folded her fingers into his. Cato leaned down bringing their joined hands over Luctra's head and pinned them to the ground gently. He searched her eyes, looking for the fear that he had seen in the cave. Luctra waited as he watched her, unsure if she should be doing something but excited at what might happen. Their breath mingled their mouths were so close.

Cato smirked. Dropping his face to hers he touched his lips to hers gently. Luctra felt his full lips press against hers and a jolt ran to her toes. She lifted her head to meet him better wanting more. Cato angled his mouth against hers as their lips moved together. He was in heaven. She was kissing him back. Her lips moved against his like they were made for him. He ran his tongue over her lower lip wanting access. Luctra didn't know how to do that so she pressed her lips against his tongue but didn't part them. Cato pressed his lips harder against her lips, demanding her to open them needing to taste her. A clap of thunder sounded. Luctra let out a startled gasp at the noise and her lips parted. Cato drove his tongue into her mouth teasing her tongue to join his.

Luctra moaned her body on fire as he massaged her tongue with his. Cato felt her hands grip his tighter as she felt a wave of pleasure run through her. Luctra rolled her tongue against Cato's pushing his back into his mouth. Cato let her push his tongue back. Hers followed his into his mouth, massaging his tongue with deep strokes, he felt his groin flood with heat. His animal took this as a sign she was trying to please him and roared with excitement. Luctra couldn't get enough of feeling his tongue against hers. Her core heated to a new level. Luctra pulled her tongue back into her mouth and captured Cato's bottom lip between her teeth. Cato felt his body tighten as she dragged her teeth over his lower lip holding back a groan at the sensation. When she reached the end with her teeth, she took his lip between her lips and delicately drew over the skin that she had just dragged her teeth over. Luctra let his lip go and planted a soft kiss on his lips. When she kissed him Cato could have died right then. It was a willing kiss that SHE just gave him. Luctra lowered her head back to the ground panting and needing air.

Cato looked down at Luctra. Her lips were swollen, her eyes filled with desire, and she was trying to catch her breath. He had never seen a girl look so good, so right, beneath him. Luctra watched Cato. His lip was slightly red from her teeth, his eyes almost midnight they were so dark with desire and his nostrils flared with every heavy breath he took. Still holding her hands above her Luctra had never felt more in touch and comfortable with her sexuality then she did right now with Cato. The animal side of her was begging her to give into Cato. Accept him as her alpha, and put her happiness in his hands. But her mind and heart weren't going to let that happen. Cato leaned back pulling their joint hands up bring Luctra into a sitting position in front of him while he continued to straddle her legs. He brought their still clasped hands between their bodies. Unwinding their fingers Cato took her hands and flipped them palm up. Luctra looked away anticipating the look of revulsion to cross his face. Cato looked down and saw the fine shiny new scars running over her palms and up her fingers. He looked up and saw she was looking away from him her body now tense.

 _'This is why she didn't want to take them off.'_ He realized. She was ashamed of her scars, of how he would react to seeing them. Dropping his head he placed a kiss onto each palm. Luctra's head snapped back to him when she felt his lips on her palms. She stared at him openly confused and afraid. Cato brought his head up and met her eyes. He saw the confusion and understood the fear.

"We all have scars. They don't define who we are to people; they just serve as a more physical reminder of what we survived." He whispered running his thumbs over the skin of her palms. Luctra didn't know what to say but her body completely relaxed, the worry vanishing. Cato had as many, if not more scars then she did. But he was a guy, scars were sexy, she was a girl, scars were unattractive. She didn't move. She just kept looking at him like he was a puzzle that she couldn't figure out. Cato placed Luctra's hands on her lap. Getting off her thighs Cato stood and moved back behind her. Putting a leg on either side of her he slid down the wall. He reached out and pulled her to his chest. She didn't fight him, instead resting her head back on his left shoulder she let her body melt into his. He was warm and his muscles felt good against her back. And after all that had happened, what he had given her she felt the stress leave and exhaustion wash over her. She placed a hand on his thigh gently relaxing her sore shoulder. It was still sore from the fight she had with him before the 'pause' and had been aggravated more by his thumb just now. Cato felt her hand on his thigh. It was oddly comforting and an intimate contact. Grabbing the sleeping bag he spread it over them. He pulled the sleeping bag to just under Luctra's chin. Leaving his arms on top of the bag he rested them over Luctra's body and linked his fingers together. Cato was truly content as he had Luctra in the circle of his arms, her body leaning against his and she wasn't fighting it.

"Rue. In the forest fire." Luctra whispered up to him.

"What?" Cato whispered back in confusion.

"My hands." She explained. "I had to lift a burning log that Rue was pinned under." Luctra sighed closing her eyes. Cato bet that she didn't even know that she didn't 'have to' do that for Rue.

"Ahh. The one on the back of my shoulder is from when my brother shot me with an arrow." Cato chuckled quietly. It was really the only funny scar he had, and he wanted to cheer Luctra up. Luctra remembered running her fingers over that scar while they were in the cave.

"You have a brother? And why did he shoot you? Oh wait he's met you…never mind the second part." Luctra murmured. She was starting to fall asleep.

"Ha Ha and yeah. Only one. Older. He was at home from the academy practicing and it got away from him." Cato said softly into her hair. He never talked about his brother but with her he wanted to.

"Was he a tribute too?" Luctra yawned.

"He was supposed to be." Cato replied bitterly.

"What happened?" Luctra yawned again. She wanted to hear the story but she was fighting a losing battle against sleep. Cato saw she was fighting to stay awake.

"Tell you another time." He breathed into her hair. He felt her breathing even out. He kissed the top of her head and succumbed to sleep himself.

* * *

"HEY! HEY! SHE'S AWAKE!"

Luctra woke up to the sound of Dash yelling. Opening her eyes she found herself curled up into Cato. Her body was sideways, her side resting against his chest and abdomen. One of her arms was curled into her body while the other lay palm down against his peck. Her head was under his chin, to one side slightly on his shoulder. His head rested a top hers. His arms were still wrapped around her.

"LUC'S SHE'S AWAKE!" Dash shouted again. Luctra got up not looking back at Cato. She was to unsure of what had happened last night to face him right now. She started climbing up the cargo boxes. Cato had heard Dash and felt Luctra get up. When he opened his eyes he saw Luctra climbing over the cargo bins. Cato smirked and got an idea to pay her back for the whole Glimmer massage deal.

"Yeah I'm coming Dash." She called. She really hated climbing. Suddenly two hands cupped her rear and forced her up and over the cargo boxes. She flew over the other side landed ungracefully on her face, her arms shooting out and break falling so she could control the landing.

"Thanks for the boost asshole." Luctra threw back. She heard Cato laugh at her from the other side. He had heard her shitty landing. Climbing over a lower set off Cargo boxes Luctra made it over to where they had set down Rue. She looked out the mouth of the Cornucopia. It was grey out, but not raining and the wind had stopped. She looked to Rue's cargo box. Thresh was at the girl's side and Dash was there grinning like an idiot. But who wouldn't when their friend had just cheated death. Rue was now sitting up leaning against Thresh.

"Hey missy. You gotta stop giving me heart attacks." Luctra teased. Rue blushed as looked away hiding her face in Thresh's shoulder. Thresh wrapped his arm around Rue.

"Oh don't think that because you got wheat boy back that you're jumping ship!" Luctra faked a serious tone, lightly tugging on one of Rue's braids. "You're in the 'Lovely Luctra' clan. Lifetime membership upon induction."

"We have ID cards and everything." Dash added grinning. Rue smiled wide and grinned holding out her arms to Luctra for a hug. Luctra wrapped her arms tightly around Rue, mindful of her injury. "I'm glad you're okay baby girl." Luctra whispered. She pulled back and smiled at Rue.

"Wheat boy?" Thresh caught her attention, crossing his arms. Rue was now leaning on Dash.  _'They are sooooo damn cute cute cute!'_  She sung to herself.

"That's your name feel free to wear it out and about." Luctra sassed. Thresh got up and towered over Luctra. She was pretty sure Thresh was the same height as Cato. Meaning freakishly tall.

"Care to put that to a contest." Thresh flexed his arms.

"Spit balls at forty paces?" Luctra challenged puffing her chest out ridiculously. Thresh cracked. Smiling and laughing he put Luctra in a headlock.

"Dude your armpit smells like baboon ass!" Luctra cried trying to pry his arm off. Thresh rolled his eyes at the lunatic comment.

"If you're done I think I have an idea." Azra said. He was peering over the top of one of the cargo containers. Thresh let Luctra go.

"Ok people everyone outside!" Marvel rallied the troops. Luctra gave Thresh a smile and squeezed his forearm as he went to go get Rue, communicating her acceptance of him as part caretaker of the kids. She hadn't seen Cato come out from 'their box' and didn't see the cold look he gave her after she squeezed Thresh's arm and walked out into the field.

* * *

They all took various seats around the mouth of the Cornucopia picking up food from different places, though Glimmer said her morning 'toilette' was more important and they could fill her in later. Luctra grabbed a pear, some beef jerky and a canteen of water. She jumped onto a box beside Marvel. She looked at him and wiggled her eyebrows. He rolled his eyes and gave her the finger. Luctra nudged him with her shoulder playfully and the two smiled at each other. Cato watched all of this feeling his veins turn to ice. When everyone was quietly munching Azra began.

"So last night I couldn't sleep and a thought came to me." He started. "I can reprogram the bombs from the launch pads."

"You were thinking about blowing up Glimmer weren't you?" Luctra smirked. From what she remembered of the roll call Azra had been very close to Glimmer and Clove last night. Azra grinned and the group chuckled.

"She wouldn't stop complaining about the raccoon jokes." He laughed causing everyone else to laugh . "Anyways if we set them off against the shield we could probably overload it and bring it down." The group looked to Foxy. She was deep in thought.

"With or without Glimmer attached to them?" Lutra tried. Azra pretended to think a moment before Cato cleared his throat ruining the moment. Luctra look to him wondering why he had a problem with her joke...she wasn't serious...did Glimmer mean something to him?

"That could actually work, the bombs against the shield part, not the Glimmer thing." Foxy corrected. "We would have to set them off at the same time in different places. A single attack won't bring down the shield. It will just route the power to that area to defuse the attack. But multiple attacks will overload the shield grid as the shield tries to defuse to many things at once and will cause the circuits to surge and fry." Foxy assessed grinning.

Everyone looked around at each other. They had the plan. They could all get out. Alive.

"How many bombs will we need?" Peeta asked from his spot beside Katniss. They were pressed together sharing a bag of nuts Luctra noticed happily. Foxy and Azra looked at each other.

"We'll go work that out and let you know. The rest of you can sort through supplies, figure out what we are going to need once we bring it down and leave." Foxy said heading over to Azra to start doing the math. Luctra stopped them.

"We also need to figure out what to do with the trackers." She told them.

"We are going to take them out Seaweed." Clove put in like Luctra was stupid.

"No shit Short Stack." Luctra glared at Clove. "What I mean is once they're out what do we do with them? Once the shield goes down they are going to send people in after us." Luctra explained. Everyone looked at her understanding the point. Tributes escaping the Hunger Games arena by working together would set the spirit of rebellion ablaze if that was what was happening. And Capitol would probably kill all of them as an example of what happens to those who defy them.

"We could use them to buy ourselves some get away time." Cato's voice was cold. Luctra looked to him not understanding his tone. Was he pissed at himself for kissing her? She couldn't be that bad a kisser. She felt her feathers ruffle at the thoughts.

"How?" Katniss was curious and hopeful.

"If we plant them strategically around the arena they will look in those places first. It will take up time to search for us, and we will be able to put more distance between us and the arena." Cato continued coldly. He was looking everywhere but at Luctra. Luctra was mad and hurt, she never should have kissed him back.

"That's a good idea. When should we take them out?" Marvel asked rubbing a finger over his tracker injection scar.

"As soon as we know what we're doing with the bombs. We don't want them in when the shield goes down." Cato finished.

* * *

The group had split up the sorting of supplies into food, weapons, medical, and survival. Each one had two people responsible for sorting through the cargo bins and deciding what they needed and what they could leave behind. Cato and Clove were on weapons, Luctra and Thresh were on food, Katniss and Rue were on survival and Peeta and Marvel were on medical, but Foxy would double check what they had sorted later.

Cato was acting like a bull in a china shop. Slamming things, throwing around boxes and the 'useless' weapons. Most of the other tributes were steering clear of him or just ignoring him, the latter being the people used to it already like Marvel, Clove and even Luctra. Luctra did notice that Thresh would move slightly closer to her when Cato would really slam something hard. Guess she wasn't the only one who knew Cato's anger was directed at her, but why it was she had no clue.

"Hey big boy the supplies in league with the pot?" Clove had a wicked tongue sometimes. Peeta and Katniss laughed quietly. Luctra, Marvel, Rue and Thresh had no clue what Clove was talking about.

"Piss off Clove." Cato snarled chucking aside another wood staff.  _'She's fucking buddy buddy with everyone but me! I had to fucking hurt her to get one damn kiss but she'll joke and touch the others with NO PROBLEM!'_  Cato thought violently throwing a box to the side. He saw Thresh shift closer to Luctra again after he chucked the box from the corner of his eye. Cato kicked the box he just threw punting it a good 7 feet.

"So anyone know what crashed into the structure last night?" Peeta decided to change the topic before Cato threw a weapon AT someone.

"What do you mean?" Luctra examined a bag of rice while asking.

"That huge bang against the metal. I'm surprised you didn't hear it considering it was against your side of the Cornucopia." Peeta said holding up a scary looking syringe and reading the label. Luctra looked up at Cato who had his back to her now. His back had tensed but he didn't turn around to look at her. His reaction pissed her off.

"I'm a heavy sleeper." Luctra justified. If he was going to treat her like shit and act like last night was a mistake then so could she. This only proved her point about attractive men.

"She seriously is. Finnick banged pots over her head one morning and she didn't even stop snoring." Dash added putting the things into piles that Rue and Katniss handed him.

"I do not snore!" Luctra denied strongly putting her hands on her hips and turning to Dash.

"Yes you do." Chorused Dash and Cato.

"You do when your really exhausted. If its super bad you sound like a boat horn!" Dash countered making a boat horn sound for good measure. Everyone laughed. Luctra glared at Dash before laughing herself. No one seemed to notice or wonder why Cato knew that Luctra snored.

* * *

AN: Was that good enough for now! AND NO IT WILL NOT BE EASY FOR THE TWO OF THEM! Luctra has baggage and fears and they WILL NOT go away just because Cato kissed her. I really don't think that works in real life! LOL. Especially since they really haven't talked about things like what really bothers Cato and what Luctra is really afraid of!

Luv

Rayn


	18. Getting to Know Everyone

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT. 

Chapter Eighteen:

Getting to Know Everyone

Luctra looked around the group. It was early night. The shield hadn't pulled a stunt in a while so they were all sitting outside around a fire that Katniss had started. They had cooked up some dinner, instant noodle soup packages and fruit, and were all sitting around talking with one another. It was all going well and relaxed. Then it got onto the topic that everyone had been dancing around like a sleeping lion. What had happened in the games before the pause had been announced.

"I'm so glad to have food." Azra said slurping up another big gulp of noodles. When Luctra had handed him his package and almost lost a finger in the process she asked Azra how long it had been since he ate. Turns out he had only eaten twice, not including random leaves, since the games started. Luctra gave him two packages after that and no one said a thing. Not like they would when Luctra went into 'mom' mode.

Dash was sitting with Rue, big shock, and sharing a bowl of noodles. Again Luctra thought how damn cute the two of them were! She wanted to go up and pinch their cheeks constantly, but refrained because she didn't want to embarrass Dash in front of Rue. But her self restraint was weakening.

"Yeah I'm glad the plan failed!" Dash readily agreed slurping up some more noodles.

"What plan?" Clove asked tightly. Clove was at least sitting with the group now, mostly because Luctra had threatened not to feed her unless she got off the Cornucopia. Luctra tensed up wishing Dash had just kept his mouth shut.

"The one we had been carrying out right before the pause." Rue said softly to everyone hoping it would just end there. She slurped up some noodles getting a bit of broth on her cheek, Dash wiped it off.

"You mean with the fires?" Clove clarified. Luctra nodded praying it ended there. Anymore details could start problems.

"What were you doing lighting fires so close to our turf?" Clove demanded. Clove was doing a lot of the talking since Cato was in a dark mood and not talking to anyone. Actually he was sitting on a cargo bin away from the group eating an apple while twirling a dagger around his hand. He was still able to hear everything and see Luctra out of the corner of his eye.

"We were planning on lighting the supplies on fire while you were out on a wild goosling chase running from fire to fire." Katniss answered honestly not exactly comfortable with sharing what their plan had been. But lying could cause the Careers to back out of the plan to break out, and then no one went home but the victor. Clove glared at everyone and Marvel straightened up.

"So that's where Rue was heading." Marvel voiced figuring out what had happened that day more clearly.

"You're lucky though." Luctra chimed in. Marvel looked at her not understanding, he HAD been shot by an arrow so he didn't understand how he was lucky.

"I was along the path Rue took. It was my job to stop any Careers that followed her. If Cato hadn't come up behind me and delayed me I would have been able to stop you before you got to Rue." Marvel's face was shocked. He had no idea that Luctra had been waiting for him. He was glad Cato had buggered off, now knowing it was because he knew where Luctra was, because Marvel had heard about what Luctra was capable when she was in alpha mode. Cato internally scoffed at Luctra calling him a 'delay'.

"Wait you're the one that speared Rue." Thresh had a dark tone. Luctra looked over at Thresh noticing the aggressive air his body took. This wasn't going to end well. The group all tensed waiting for Marvel to answer. Marvel swallowed his noodles and looked up at Thresh.

"Yes."

Marvel had barely finished the word before Thresh had launched himself at the kid. Thresh pinned Marvel on the ground and started choking him. Luctra was only 5 feet from Marvel. Luctra got up and jumped on Thresh's back wrapping her arm around his neck. She pulled his head back hard and started putting pressure on his windpipe. Cato had heard the commotion, but really didn't care until he saw Luctra pounce on Thresh. Cato bolted over to the fight. Luctra felt Thresh's hands on her arm, meaning he had let of Marvel. Cato got to the fight and reached down grabbing Marvel at the shoulders from behind. Cato then yanked Marvel out from under Thresh. Luctra swung around Thresh, releasing his head and landed on her feet. Now both Luctra and Cato were between Thresh and Marvel.

"I was HOPING we could all just be happy being awkward but it looks like we're going to have to deal with a few things." Luctra panted. Thresh was glaring at her but she wasn't backing down. Thresh respected Luctra so he was going to back down, then he looked over her head and glared at something else. Luctra looked behind her thinking she needed to tell Marvel to back down also. She was surprised to find Cato behind her, also between Marvel and Thresh. She didn't think Thresh was stupid enough to take on both her and Cato, so she was glad Cato had helped her out, even if he may have only come because Thresh went after Marvel.

"Thresh please take a seat." Luctra requested calmly turning back to Thresh. Thresh was still staring down Cato. A tense moment passed before Thresh walked back to where he had been sitting and resumed his seat.

"Park it." Cato barked at Marvel. Marvel plopped down heavily. Marvel knew that with Luctra getting involved Cato wasn't going to be tolerating any argument from anyone.

"Right so if we have ANY chance of getting out of here alive we're going to have to put all the shit that has happened up to now in the past." Luctra started.

"He almost killed Rue." Thresh growled.

"And Rue and Dash and Katniss dropped a nest of Tracker Jackers on him." Luctra argued. Thresh was shocked. He looked over at Rue who nodded. A small smile appeared on his face, before it resumed its pissed off look.

"Cato sliced my leg." Peeta countered. Luctra looked at Peeta.

"Well I knocked him out with a serving bowl after smashing him in the face with it." She countered. Everyone in the group was shocked. Cato ground his teeth not happy Luctra had told them about that. He didn't move from her side though.

"It's just hard when you know how many people have died, and the killers are sitting right by you." Foxy supplied. Marvel looked a little hurt at her comment, because he was one of those killers.

"Well Foxy I'm one of those killers too." Luctra admitted. Foxy looked surprised, she didn't know that Luctra had killed other Tributes.

"I killed the boys from 7 and 10." Luctra had regret in her eyes when she mentioned 7. Cato remember watching Luctra kill the boy from 7, from what he could tell it had been hard for her.

"Sixteen hundred and ninety one."

Everyone turned to look at Dash. He looked up from his bowl. "It's the number of kids, like us, that have died fighting in the Hunger Games since they started."

The group went silent. None of them had ever done the math before. That was a lot of children, who just like them weren't given a choice. Those Fallen Tributes had never had a chance to try and break out; they were simply sentenced to death. Even Clove seemed a bit disturbed at the sheer number of people that had died so far, since no one in the group could recall all the names of the fallen tributes before them, because they had been forgotten. No one would remember their names after they fell. Only that they were the kids from that Hunger Games that got put on pause.

"Career tributes or not, we  **ALL**  have a stake in what happens from here on out. No matter our skill or training we were ALL brought in here to die." Luctra voiced strongly looking around. "No one fought for the sixteen hundred and ninety one tributes before us. But we can sure as hell fight for the sixteen hundred and ninety one that are supposed to come after us." Luctra finished just as strongly. Everyone sat quietly for a few minutes lost in their own thoughts.

"We can be the Last Tributes." Marvel quietly said. The spark of hope that had been ignited before now blazed within each of them. Each of the Careers knew volunteers that hadn't come back, but none of the Careers had realized just how many they hadn't known that were a part of that sixteen hundred and ninety one.

"Glory be death as a Tribute." Clove muttered.

"Honor be found as Victor." Cato finished. Luctra looked at him confused.

"It's the motto that they teach at the academy." Cato told her. Knowing how many tributes had ACTUALLY died it dawned on Cato how stupid that motto was. Luctra felt her heart go out to Cato, being raised with that motto beaten into your head…Cato really hadn't had a choice did he? A somber mood fell over the group. Of course Marvel was the one to break it; he was still a little hurt by what Foxy had said. He was a killer and she wasn't, till now he had thought it wouldn't matter to her.

"So I think we all should get to know one another." He suggested grinning. There was nothing better to do so everyone agreed. Everyone got comfy snacking on graham crackers. Cato rejoined the group sitting against the storage bin Clove was sitting on. He wasn't going to risk not being close if Luctra decided to break up another fight.

"Alright so what should we do?" Dash asked excitedly.

"Hmm…well most of us have partners so how about this. District partners have to tell an embarrassing story about the other partner. Those without get to tell any story they want as consolation for being alone." Everyone begrudgingly agreed with Marvel's idea worried about what their partner would say. The stories began. Clove wanted to go first.

"So it was like two years ago at the academy and over his 5 years there Cato had earned quite a reputation." Clove started.

"Wait you were 11 when you joined the academy? That's a little late…" Marvel chimed in.

"Yes but it didn't make a difference now did it." Cato snapped. Luctra wondered why Cato had joined late; she assumed he had joined right at 8 like most other Careers.

"HEY! It's my time to talk." Clove shouted. Everyone turned back to her.

"As I was saying. Cato had quiet the reputation of being a hot head. I know surprise, surprise." Cato elbowed Clove's leg and glared up at her. Clove ignored him. "Well he was particularly pissed of one day and beating the crap out of some kid on the combat mats when Brutus told him to knock it off and stop acting like an ape." Everyone laughed as Marvel made a monkey face when Cato was turned away from him. Cato caught him and gave him the finger. "Well Cato being Cato he decided to smash a training dummy as he walked out of the room." Clove paused.

"Well that wasn't funny." Foxy said.

"That wasn't the funny part." Clove snapped. "Cato didn't realize it was one of the relay dummies, the ones that bounce back after you hit them." Luctra put her hand over her mouth to stop her laugh figuring out what probably happened. "Well that fucking dummy flew right back at Cato slamming into him and Cato flew backwards into one of the spear racks." Luctra rolled onto the ground she was laughing so hard. Cato liked seeing Luctra laugh, even though it was at his expense. He even cracked his own smile, it was a funny story and Luctra liked it so who cared if it made him look foolish.

The stories continued everyone laughing and teasing each other. Finally it came to Dash's turn.

"Well there was this one time…" He started. Luctra's eyes flew to Dash.

"Don't you dare!" She warned knowing exactly what he was going to tell people. Dash smiled wickedly.

"As all of you saw at the reaping Luc's wears extremely baggy clothes normally." Dash began.

"Yeah, you looked so big and butch." Marvel laughed. Cato was the only one to notice Luctra flinch at the unintended insult. Cato's memory flashed back to how she had looked at him with such fear when she had exposed her body to him. He wondered if she had been picked on…

"Well that's what she wears to work because it's comfy, even though it's not recommended because of the machines." Dash defended not liking Marvel's comment. Marvel didn't know what Luctra had been through, but Dash did so the comment bugged him.

Luctra hid her face in her hands groaning knowing where the story was about to go. "So one day at work, like 8 months ago, Luc's was working the sharpening wheel for the knives they use. Well a spark flew and landed on a piece of her shirt that was sticking out from under her protective coverings." Luctra could still remember the heat she felt from the spark.

"It took her a moment to notice it but when she did her outer clothes were catching on fire." Dash said. Katniss gasped remembering the forest fire and how being so close to uncontrolled fire had felt. Dash continued smirking. "So Luc's starts ripping off clothing and heads for the shower rooms as fast as she can. However the doors to the mens and women's happen to be right next to each other." Luctra groaned. Cato was all ears now. "So she ducks into the shower room, stripped down to her undies and runs to the wall of showers and turns on the tap."

"That's funny." Peeta said, though it's not as bad as Luctra seems to think it is.

"Oh it gets better. So she's under the water when a person coughs behind her. Care to finish?" Dash offered to Luctra. She didn't take her face out of her hands as she finished the story.

"I turned around and behind me were like 10 half naked and fully naked men. I had run into the mens' showers by accident." She groaned turning beat red at the memory. Everyone burst into laughter, some holding their sides they were laughing so hard. "I bolted out of there like hell on wheels and into the women's' side. I have never wanted to see another naked man for the rest of my life." Luctra finished. Though Cato was laughing along he didn't like the last comment. He was going to have to change her mind if it was true.

"Well what happened to Marvel was pretty funny too!" Glimmer broke in. To her any attention or focus on Luctra was a bad thing. Everyone turned to her not exactly excited to hear her talk. "It was the end of the year gala at school so there was going to be a huge dance and party." Glimmer began.

Luctra looked to Marvel. He had no expression on his face, which freaked out Luctra, and in his eyes she could see two things. Pain and dread. This wasn't going to be a funny story.

Cato had been watching Luctra out of the corner of his eye. He saw her face change, her alpha coming out and he wondered what caused it. Turning and following her gaze he took in Marvel's face. Cato had only seen this Marvel once, and that was when Marvel watched the Tribute to the Fallen which included someone that Marvel had killed. It was the look Marvel got when he was trying not to feel and not looking forward to beating down the bad feelings coming.

"Well Marvel asked Shine to go with him." Glimmer obviously liked this Shine girl by the way she gushed as she said her name. Minus Marvel's Luctra thought all District 1 people had stupid names.

"She surprisingly said yes. So the party came and Shine went with Marvel. Well once they got to the hall she looked at Marvel and gave him all of the coats and purses she and her friends had been carrying!" Glimmer was giggling as she talked. Marvel's fists were clenched hard. "So Shine looks at Marvel who looked so confused and tells him she said yes because she and the girls hated leaving their stuff at coat check!" Glimmer laughed alone, though it didn't seem to bug her. Hearing no one laugh at her Glimmer looked around the fire.

"That was a bitch move Glimmer. Get the fuck out of here before I make you into that hat Seaweed wanted." Clove snapped pointing a knife at her. Glimmer looked up surprised. Glancing around at everyone, seeing their unanimously pissed off faces, she looked at Cato for back up. He was also glaring at her. Glimmer shrieked about people not knowing what was actually funny and stormed off. Marvel got up and walked off in the opposite direction of Glimmer. Foxy watched Marvel get up and leave. She looked back the fire, then looked back up to Marvel's disappearing form, back down to the fire and then got up and chased after him.

"Short stack?" Luctra called. Clove looked up at Luctra without glaring for the first time. "You decide to make that hat, let me know so I can help. I'm pretty good at skinning things." Luctra said darkly.

"I'll make some nice decorative button holes for you." Katniss added just as angry. The three strongest girls in the Hunger Games were on the same page about something and that was downright scary Peeta thought.

* * *

Glimmer had sobered up Luctra. What happened to Marvel, both in the story and with Glimmer, reminded her of what an evil blinding force attraction was. Marvel was a nice, funny, great looking guy and look what happened to him? That Shine bitch had used and humiliated him, and Glimmer used Marvel's painful memory to gain attention by spreading his humiliation. And right now Cato's current actions were making Luctra wonder, just how much was Cato like Shine and Glimmer?

* * *

About an hour after the Glimmer fiasco Marvel had come back to the fire with Foxy as his normal self.

"Should we sleep in the Cornucopia again?" Foxy asked a little too eagerly. Marvel grinned. Luctra wasn't sure she wanted to know how Foxy had been able to bring Marvel back to the happy-go-lucky guy they all liked, or what influence their time together during the storm had on it, but Luctra was glad for it.

"I think it's pretty safe to sleep where ever, but at least close to the structure. Just in case." Luctra replied. They never knew when the shield could act up again. As it turned out people mostly ended up paring up to sleep. Glimmer grabbed her own tent, Peeta and Katniss took a tent also but together, Marvel and Foxy went back into the Cornucopia. Luctra told Marvel and Foxy about 'her box' so Foxy could have some privacy. Just in case Foxy needed to get Marvel to talk if he slipped back into the mood Glimmer had put him in earlier. Thresh, Dash, Rue and Azra laid out sleeping bags by the fire and Clove turned an empty cargo bin on its side and climbed into it for the night. Luctra told her she looked like a rat, Clove told her to fuck off.

* * *

Luctra wasn't tired so she wandered off from the front of Cornucopia a bit. She just wanted time to think things out. Cato was just confusing the hell out of her. Last night had been so intense and yet so comforting. The kiss had been earth shattering, but the way he had looked at her hands, known it was bothering her and dispelled her self-consciousness was the sweetest thing a guy had done for her. No one really seemed to think she had any weaknesses, because she was so damn strong. Yet Cato somehow knew how to read her actions, through the anger and agression he knew what the real source was. Hell she had attacked him how many times and he had yet to seriously fit back.

But these Games had made her realize just how hard a life it was to lead when you were a pillar of protection for everyone else and not crack. Cato was stronger than she was and had demonstrated that more than once. He was stronger both physically and emotionally apparently because this morning he had been like ice to her. And now with the double wammy of what Marvel had gone through in the past and then tonight Luctra was scared that Cato was playing with her like Shine, or he would humiliate her like Glimmer. Again she wondered if he could be icy because she was that bad of a kisser.

"You're not a bad kisser."

Luctra jumped out of her skin. For such a big guy he was way too quiet.

"No you just zone out too well." Cato informed her. It was a good sign, Cato decided, that she was worried about whether she was a bad kisser, whether he had liked her kissing or not.

"I have to stop talking out loud." Luctra turned around to find Cato behind her crouched down at the edge of the Cornucopia, the fake moon outlining his strong frame. She hadn't even noticed he had gone up there.

"It's pretty rare you find someone who actually says what they're thinking." Cato commented looking down at her.

"Well I guess I just don't like people not knowing where they stand with me." Luctra shot. Cato raised an eyebrow at her comment.

"Is that so?" Cato drawled. Luctra let her anger get the better of her.

"You're an asshole." Luctra called up to him. She was mad at him for this morning and now she was furious because he knew what she was thinking. She turned around to walk away. Cato jumped down from the Cornucopia. She heard the thump behind her. She could run but she knew turning around and challenging him would piss him off more. So she did exactly that. Cato walked up to her and brought his figure to loom over hers. She wasn't small compared to him, but Cato had this way of towering over a person even when they weren't smaller than him.

"I've been called worse." He told her flatly. Luctra smirked.

"Probably in bed." She told him coldly. An arrogant grin spread on Cato's face. He leaned down so his lips were right beside her ear. He saw her neck tense.

"No, no." He dropped his voice. He knew Luctra was fighting not to pull her head away as she shivered. "In my bed they tend to scream out names like God, or King." He whispered arrogantly. Luctra was learning how to play this game. She turned her lips to his ear letting her breath dance over it for a moment. She saw Cato's jaw clinch at the sensation.

"All names but your own. It helps them to forget who they're actually with." She whispered back with the same amount of arrogance. Cato's head moved back and came around to hers. His nose almost touching hers, arms at his sides, as he stared her down. The liquid sapphires that she was so familiar with stared back at her. He was breathing deeply. Luctra wasn't backing down. She glared up at him defiantly.

"They never forget who they're with because with the way I make their bodies burn and tremble I am imprinted into their memories forever." His voice was dark, full of lust. Luctra figured he was thinking about those other girls now with the way he was talking. Cato saw the shift in her eyes and knew she was going to say something that would piss him off. So he didn't let her.

Cato grabbed the back of Luctra's head, jamming his fingers into her ponytail and slammed his lips to hers knowing her lips could bruise from the harsh contact. He angled his lips across hers kneading them with demanding strokes. Luctra pushed back with her lips just as hard making this the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced. The animal in Cato reared getting fed up with Luctra's refusal to accept it. Luctra pushed back his lips, nipping firmly at his bottom lip. Cato felt her teeth on his bottom lip sending a primal shiver down his spine. Cato growled. She smirked against his lips happy she was affecting him. Cato lifted his other hand to the small of her back, finding its way under her shirt tracing the skin above her pants. Luctra's hand came to Cato's hip and traveled under his shirt. Luctra ran her thumb roughly over his hip bone. Cato loved the feeling of her thumb digging into his hip. Cato wanted more of her, to show her how good it could be for her if she were with him. Cato pushed his tongue between her teeth and his lip. Luctra lightly bit down on his tongue letting him know it wasn't welcome. Instead of pulling his tongue back Cato pulled her head bringing her lips harder against his and drove his tongue beyond her teeth. Luctra whimpered at the aggression reveling in Cato's skilled tongue. She felt herself get damp and she whimpered again when his tongue dragged slowly and deeply against hers. Cato's animal delighted in the sound of her whimpered submission to his sexual power over her. Their tongues began to battle for dominance as Luctra's alpha challenged his to make her moan again. Luctra needed to regain control, to make Cato back off before he became her 'Shine'.

Luctra's other hand went to the back of his head grabbing a fistful of hair. Cato felt her grip the back of his hair. Luctra yanked hard on Cato's hair separating their lips. Cato looked at her after the kiss broke. Both their lips were swollen. Their eyes were burning in rage and lust wanting more. But their eyes also showed that she was hating that she wanted more, and Cato hating that she was fighting it.

"I hate you. Go fuck with someone who doesn't want to forget you." She snarled. She winced as Cato gripped the back of head tighter. He was dominating her again and she knew it. Luctra released the back of his head and ran her fingers to the back of his neck, trying to calm him a little worried she had pushed him to far. It didn't work. Cato's animal was furious and Cato's practical mind was livid at the idea that she wanted to forget him.

Cato used the hand on her lower back and jerked her body so it was flush with his. Her breast pressed against his chest. Luctra could feel the beginning of his arousal pressed against her lower stomach. She felt heat rush to her face and core at the feel of his member against her. Cato pulled her head back slowly until her face was completely skyward and her throat was exposed to him. Luctra gripped his biceps as he bent her head almost painfully backwards. Luctra whimpered in discomfort as her head was bent almost painfully back and she gripped Cato's bicep hoping he would get the message and release her. She stared at the sky waiting. Cato dropped his head and placed a feather light kiss on Luctra's pulse point. Luctra gasped sharply no longer wanting to be released. His lips traveled over her windpipe, to the side over neck just above her t-shirt. He dragged his lips over her skin up her neck to just below her ear. He traced his tongue over the skin just below her ear.

Luctra gripped his biceps tighter and her breath caught in her throat. Cato pressed his lips to the skin and felt her legs tighten together because of the tension in her core. He smirked having found the spot on her neck he had wondered about before. Luctra shivered, her mind fogging with desire as Cato sent shocks of pleasure down her body. He nipped and kissed that spot on her neck she never even knew was there making her want to scream, her core was pulsing hard wanting him. Cato then dragged his teeth over the skin nipping at it lightly. Luctra moaned her fingers digging into his biceps more. Cato felt her fingers digging in and knew she was enjoying his attentions. He moved his lips from the spot under her ear and trailed butterfly kiss up her neck, over her jaw line until he reached the side of her mouth. Cato let his lips hover over hers. Cato leaned his face over Luctra's, his lips hovering right above hers. As he spoke his lips would lightly brush over hers they were so close. Teasing her already swollen and waiting lips.

"You will never forget me." He whispered menacingly. Luctra was terrified because she knew he was right. Cato brought his lips down on hers and kissed her deeply. Luctra felt the kiss all the way down to her toes. She opened her mouth freely to let their tongues meet and she let Cato take full control, his deep strokes with his tongue send shocks right between her legs. Cato pulled back, letting go of Luctra's hair. He looked at him through a fog, all she knew was she wanted him. He stepped back from her their bodies no longer touching. He turned and walked away towards the forest. Cato knew if he didn't leave now the animal would fully take over. He had seen the look in her eyes and knew at that moment she would let him take her because her desire was in control, but he also knew that she would hate herself the moment it was over, the moment she became fogged. She wouldn't give all herself to him, even though he could make her feel like that, and that enraged him.

That rage he felt would stay with him, pulsating and living off the idea that she actually wanted to forget him and how her body craved him, the idea that he would ever let her forget he could make her feel like that. He would make sure he was too far under her skin, and eventually too deep inside her body for her to ever forget who he was. Her body would burn for him the way his rage for her was burning now.

* * *

Luctra wasn't sure what had just happened. But she was sure that she had made what ever had been wrong before, even worse now. She needed to be by people. If she were by people then her instincts would protect her from giving in, from wanting Cato since she could focus on others and not how her body was craving him. Even though she knew it would piss him off, Luctra grabbed a sleeping bag and curled up next to Thresh. Not close enough to touch Thresh, but close enough that it would make her feel safe from Cato. Not because he wouldn't attack Thresh, but because Cato wouldn't try to kiss her in front of him, or anyone else in the group. She hoped.

* * *

Cato came back from the forest ready to at least sorta apologize to Luctra. He didn't mean to be aggressive with her, but she brought out the animal in him by challenging him and not giving in. It was the same reason the animal was probably drawn to her. Also it seemed that he brought out the animal in her by the way she yanked on his hair and bit his tongue. Cato smirked to himself. He needed to find her. She wasn't behind the Cornucopia where he left her. He figured she must have gone to sleep by Dash so he went to check by the fire.

Cato stopped dead in his tracks as he came around to the front of the metal structure. He was deadly livid, and though he wouldn't admit it to himself he was hurt. There at the fire, beside Thresh was Luctra curled up in a sleeping bag. He wanted to rip her out of the sleeping bag and force her to sleep against him like the night before. The dark part of him bubbled to the surface. If this was her trying to forget him, by showing him she would go to another man right after he had kissed her and she kissed him back, then he was going to make sure she felt like shit for doing it. He knew what some of her insecurities were, and he planned on exploiting them.

* * *

AN: You can get sooooo annoyed with me if you want, but do not worry eventually all things will work out. But with those two it's going to take some time and something major! HAHAHAHAHAHA. Hope you like the Marvel/foxy minor pairing. Thank you for all the wonderful feed back and I look forward to reading you reviews again! :D

Luv

Rayn


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Enjoy!

Chapter Nineteen:

Explosions of Many Types

It was slightly frosty for Luctra the following morning with the attitude that Cato was putting out, so she guessed he had seen her next to Thresh. Maybe now he would stop messing with her head. They were all gathered around the camp fire again eating breakfast and going over the plan. They were taking down the shield today.

"So we'll have to split up into four teams. Two bombs per team." Foxy declared to everyone. Foxy and Azra had figured out the strongest and weakest points of the shield by monitoring it for a decent period of time. It turned out that the shield worked in a compass directional surge pattern. When everyone else looked at Fox with 'and that means what in English' look Foxy explained.

"It means that the power flows from North to South on the main grid line, and then the East and West grid lines bounce and pull the power in the directions they are needed. Making the North and South the power sites and the East and West the weaker control sites." Foxy explained pointing at the different points of the shield as she spoke.

"Okay what about the teams." Katniss asked. She hoped to be paired with someone from what was now seriously being called the 'LL Clan', or 'Lovely Luctra Clan'.

"Well one team is going to be heading in the direction that we have figured is the closest to the Capitol. That team would be the north team." Azra informed the group and scratched his head. He was hoping he wouldn't have to pair everyone up.

"So the north team needs to be the team with the highest percentage of getting both bombs there, since it's where the main power should be coming from and it HAS to have a double impact. The people should also then be able to fight off Peacekeepers if they get intercepted on their way back." Foxy then quickly added. "Uhhh…the teams should be balanced also." Foxy didn't want to spell it out 'one Cato Career and one LLC' but everyone got the message.

"Alright so that would mean either Cato or Clove go towards the Capitol side." Marvel was very good but he knew who was better, and well who was psycho.

"Agreed. Also Foxy, myself, Rue and Dash will stay here for obvious reasons." Azra pointed out. He waited hoping that someone else would jump in and form the teams.

"It'll be Clove and Peeta to the south, Katniss and Marvel to the east, Glimmer and Thresh to the west and Luctra and I to the north." Cato declared his tone leaving no room for argument. Cato wanted to keep Luctra close, and he felt sending Glimmer with Thresh would serve as good revenge. If Luctra wanted to be by Thresh instead of him he was going to make it as hard as possible. He had other plans for Luctra.

"So the bombs are on timers?" Peeta interjected worried about being paired up with Clove. The girl took scary to a whole other level.

"Well that's the other thing. You're gonna have to chuck them into the shield." Azra announced scratching his head again. It seemed to be a nervous habit of his.

"You want us to hurl bombs at the shield?" Luctra said stunned. Azra nodded. "Won't they bounce back or something?" She added.

"After Haymitch Abernathy won his games the shield was altered to prevent tributes from using it as a weapons relay to counter attacks. It now sends an electrical charge instead of an energy rebound against any force that makes contact with it." Foxy clarified.

"Ok, so you mean to tell me we are in basically a giant bubble of electrical fencing?" Luctra deadpanned. It was not a comforting thought.

"Pretty much." Azra shrugged. Luctra pulled her lips in a thin line. Throwing a bomb at an electrical fence just didn't sound like a good idea. But neither was forcing kids to kill kids and that was real, so why should this be any different?

"So the shield will look like barbed wire?" Katniss inquired. She knew what that looked like so it would make it easier for her and Marvel.

"Sadly no. It will look like whatever else is around you." Foxy sighed. This was going to be complicated and risky, but they had to try.

"Right so we just keep walking until one of us gets electrocuted and blows up? Okay 1, 2, 3 NOSE GAME!" Marvel shouted sarcastically touching his finger to his nose. (AN: for those of you confused the nose game is when someone counts down and then yells 'nose game' and the last person to touch their nose is 'it'.) Luctra's finger also shot to her nose, partly out of instinct, she did this with Dash all the time, and partly because she wanted Cato to know that she would prefer it if HE walked into the shield. Cato saw this out of the corner of his eye and clenched his jaw.

"You're Fucking hilarious Marvel. Idiot. We'll just have to keep throwing objects in front of us as we walk." Clove snapped.

"Alright that's settled. Azra get to work on finishing the reprogramming on the bombs. Then package them for the teams. Foxy sort through the medical supplies and double check what is coming with us. The rest of us will figure out the plan for the trackers." Luctra stated. She was the only one really that dared to give orders besides Cato. Luctra joined the others who had moved towards Cato.

"They're going to have to be cut out now." Cato informed everyone coldly.

"Okay. They should be planted around the arena where it won't draw suspicion but where it will still be hard for the Peacekeepers to figure out that no one is actually there." Katniss supplied cautiously.

"Good idea. Maybe places we have already been or hidden before." Dash suggested.

"Right everyone got an idea as to where they will put theirs?" Luctra asked. Everyone nodded at Luctra. "Okay I will take Rue's and Dash's with me since it will be odd to the Gamemakers if it looks like I'm not with them."

"I'll chuck mine in the wheat field." Thresh announced.

"Okay that was kinda obvious don't ya think." Marvel shot. He winced as Thresh smacked him over the head. Luctra rolled her eyes and smiled. At least people were getting along. She looked at Cato. Well most people.

"Let's cut them out then. By the time we plant them and get back the bombs should be ready." Clove said gleefully and twirled a knife around her fingers. She had a crazy look in her eyes.

"Stay the fuck away from me short stack." Luctra warned eyeing the twirling knife.

"Well I am the most skilled with a knife but suit yourself." Clove shrugged. To everyone's surprise Peeta spoke up.

"Could you cut out mine?" Peeta asked nervously.

This was an offer of trust from Peeta to Clove since they would be teamed up together. Luctra didn't know if Clove would recognize that though.

"Gladly." She said excited. Peeta gulped a little at Clove's eager reply. Luctra shook her head and walked up to where Foxy was sorting medical supplies. Foxy looked up as she approached.

"Hey do we have any of that numbing stuff? At least for Dash and Rue." Luctra asked looking over the pile of stuff. Foxy looked over the supplies to before picking up a medium glass syringe. It had some weird ass purple liquid in it that just didn't look natural to Luctra. Stupid Capitol people have to make everything fucking fruity colors.

"We can spare this one, but only this one. We need the others in case something happens on the journey out of the arena." Foxy said and handed the syringe to Luctra. Luctra walked back to where Thresh, Dash and Rue were standing.

"Hey so I have some numbing stuff for the wee ones." Luctra joked rubbing Dash's head. Dash swatted her hand away in annoyance. Thresh chuckled. Luctra took Rue and Dash's arms one at a time and injected the numbing crap into their arms in the same spot as their tracker injection scars. There was enough left for about three more people.

"Okay who is really shitty with pain?" Luctra called out holding up the syringe. In the end Azra, Foxy and Katniss took the rest of the numbing liquid.

* * *

Luctra stood before Dash with a knife in her hand. She had been there for a few minutes trying to work up the will power to slice into Dash's arm.

"It has to come out Luc's." Dash encouraged softly. He knew this was hard on Luctra since she spent so much time protecting him from pain and now she might have to cause him some.

"I know but if I hurt you I'll hate myself." Luctra confessed softly staring at his arm. A hand come around her body, grabbed the knife from her hand and pushed her out of the way slightly.

"Take a deep breath." Cato told Dash hold the knife over Dash's arm. Luctra looked away. "Close your eyes." Cato ordered. Dash closed his eyes

"3, 2…" Cato sliced into Dash's arm.

"Ow! Hey what happened to 1?" Dash accused Cato. Cato just glared at Dash. Dash stuck out his tongue and jumped off the cargo container. He ran over to where Thresh was bandaging Rue's arm. Luctra looked back at Cato who was examining Dash's bloody Tracker, which he held in his fingers. The tracker was glowing blue which meant it was still activated. They had to be careful not to deactivate them when they removed them or the Gamemakers might get suspicious. It would be pretty weird if all the Tributes just randomly dropped dead.

"Thanks." Luctra told Cato sincerely. Cato looked up at her coldly.

"It had to come out and you weren't going to be able to do it." Cato's voice was like ice. He put the tracker down on the cargo box and turned to walk away. Luctra reached out and grabbed his bicep gently. His muscles twitched under her hand. Cato looked over his shoulder at her expectantly his whole body tense.

"Could you take mine out….please?" Luctra pleaded softly. She didn't have enough experience with her left hand to cut it out from her arm safely and was worried she would damage the tacker if she tried. She also didn't trust Clove or Marvel around her with a knife. So that left Cato as the only person with enough experience with that weapon to do the job.

Cato saw the worry in her eyes at having to cut it out herself. He exhaled a long breath from his nose. Even as darkly livid as he was he still crumbled slightly at her pleading look, but only slightly. She needed his help and Cato refused to let someone else try do it and end up really hurting her. His animal was angry but it would still want to kill anyone that caused her pain, other than him. He turned to her.

"Give me your arm." He told her uncaring, like she was bothering him. Luctra rolled up her sleeve and held out her arm to him, worry on her face. Cato took her elbow in his hand, turned her forearm up and wedged her arm between his ribcage and his elbow. He brought the knife up to her skin. Luctra stopped him.

"I know it's going to hurt, but please be gentle if you can?" Her voice shook as she spoke. The knife hovered over her skin as Cato looked up at her knowing she was nervous.

"I promised I would didn't I?" His voice had warmed slightly. Luctra flashed back to the waterfall. Cato saw her recalling when he told her that before and without looking down he pushed the knife into her skin. Luctra's eyes filled with pain and she bit her lip to stop the scream that wanted to come out. Unexpected pain or pain during a fight was very different from pain that was felt after anticipating it for a while. Cato popped out the tracker, intact and still activated. She let out a shaky breath when the blade left her arm. Cato still held her elbow.

"Thank you." She was grateful that he was so efficient. Cato reached beside him, put down the knife and pulled a bandage off the cargo box. Luctra turned her hand and laid her palm gently on his hip. Cato was angry still, but her hand on his hip was settling him down a bit. Her touch could calm him just as much as it could excite him he found. He wrapped her arm up quickly tying a tight field dressing. Luctra took her hand off Cato's hip and pulled her sleeve down carefully over the bandage. There was a tense moment afterwards, both just looking into each other's eyes.

"Cato can you help me with my arm?"

Glimmers voice broke the moment. Luctra looked down at the ground and Cato rolled his eyes up to the sky.

"Yeah I'm coming." He said. Luctra continued to look at the ground as she heard him leave.

* * *

Once all the trackers were taken out everyone split up and went to place their trackers in the locations that suited their movements during the Games best. Luctra took hers, Rue's and Dash's. She had Dash climb a tree with very dense branches and had him duct tape his and Rue's to two different branches. Not far from there Luctra found a deep pile of fallen trees and chucked hers down into them. It would take the Peacekeepers forever to figure out that she wasn't actually under the pile. Thresh put his back into the wheat field, Azra stuck his into a block of wood and pinned it under a flagstone in the river, Foxy buried hers under a dead tree she had been hiding under before, Peeta put his in the rocks were he had camouflaged himself, Katniss chucked hers in a cave she had found, and the Careers spread theirs around a dense set of bushes, looking like they were hanging out together there.

"It shouldn't take more than a day to reach the edge of the shield by our estimations." Foxy informed them as the 'bomb carriers' gathered around in semi-circle. Azra had finished packaging the disabled bombs into 8 extra backpacks. They were heavy and they would have to be careful with them. Azra had told Glimmer he could have left them attached to the metal plates to save time when she had bitched about how heavy they were. She shut up after that.

"Not bad. How are we going to know when to throw them?" Peeta said nervously. He and Clove seemed to have come to an understanding when she cut out his tracker, but it was Clove, so who wouldn't be nervous about being alone with her.

"Ugghhh….I was hoping to have figured that part out by now….but I haven't." Azra scratched his head.

"See they all have to hit the shield at the same time, or within seconds of each other." Foxy said frustrated. It was one of two holes in the plan. Luctra remembered something.

"Hey what about using a flare gun? You can fire it to signal everyone to throw." Luctra cried happily. She took back every bad thing she said about the stupidity of a flare gun in the Hunger Games. She ran over to her old backpack and pulled it out, then brought it over to Foxy and Azra

"I had other plans for this but this is more important." Luctra said handing it over.

"You wanted to shoot Glimmer with it didn't you?" Azra whispered smiling. Luctra grinned back.

"I thought they could call her 'sparkle the raccoon' after." Luctra whispered quietly. They laughed together and high-fived. Cato thought he was going to break at tooth with how hard he was clenching his teeth; Luctra was just SO at ease with everyone but him, and well Glimmer and Clove, but those two didn't count. No one was at ease with Glimmer, and only he was at ease with Clove.

"That would work perfect. But…." Foxy started. Luctra stopped her mental happy dance at Foxy's 'but'.

"But what?" Luctra asked.

"We still won't have any idea when you guys each reach your part of the shield." Foxy huffed. That was hole number two. They all stood around stumped. If they couldn't figure this part out they were screwed.

"Mockingjays!" Rue cheered.

"Oh I know this! What's the name of a fake blue jay?" Marvel grinned. Luctra was pretty sure you could have heard a pin drop after Marvel said it.

"Sweetie, just be quiet." Foxy patted Marvel's arm. Marvel grinned like an idiot. Apparently he was far more focused on being called sweetie then on being told to shut up.

"You can use the Mockingjays to send word when you have reached your edge." Rue tried again. Everyone looked at each other. They had a plan and they had the equipment. They could really do this.

They gathered around the mouth of the metal structure. Everyone had their packs with the bombs, backpack with supplies and their weapon of choice. They all looked around nervously at each other. If this didn't work the President Snow would probably publicly execute all of them for defying the Capitol.

"Everybody got there stuff?" Luctra asked the group. Everyone nodded. "Alright…"

"I feel like we should do a cheer." Marvel commented. Everyone murmured their agreement.

"How about hands in and 'Last Tributes' on 1?" Katniss suggested putting out her hand. Luctra liked the sound of that. She put her hand over top of Katniss's. One by one everyone put their hands in the middle, including Clove which shocked the crap out of everyone.

"3, 2, 1  **LAST TRIBUTES**!" They shouted in unison throwing their touching hand up in the air.  _'Let us really be the last ones.'_  Luctra prayed. Everyone turned, pairing up with their partners and headed in their designated direction. Luctra took one last look at people's faces, not wanting to forget them in case something should go wrong.

"Goodbye and I'll be seeing ya'll." Peeta piped up as people began to disperse. Luctra turned smiling and walked over to Peeta giving him a hug like she had done at the river, Peeta hugged her back tightly. She didn't notice Cato storm off. The small amount Cato had cooled off helping Luctra take out her tracker blazed to life again. Luctra willingly showed affection to everyone but him. His blood turned to ice.

"Goodbye and I'll be seeing you." She replied. She turned and caught up to Cato who was already walking north.

* * *

Luctra and Cato walked in a tense silence for half a day not stopping. The shield was shifting between day and night constantly so they really couldn't tell how long they had been walking. It just seemed that they would stop when they hit the shield. Luctra threw a rock as far as she could in front of her. Cato picked up a rock and threw it right after Luctra's had landed. It landed farther away than Luctra's. Luctra glared at Cato who wasn't looking at her. Luctra picked up another one and threw it, that one landed just a bit in front of Cato's. Luctra smirked looking at her rock. Cato narrowed his eyes picked up another one and hurled the damn thing so far Luctra lost sight of it. She huffed. She couldn't beat that throw.

"Suck it up I'm just better then you." Cato said putting her down. Luctra glared at him. She hadn't forgotten the night before and how he was now treating her because of it. Luctra's fears came to life; he was letting her know that she was beneath him. That she wasn't good enough for him and she should just get over how he treated her. Her temper flared wanting to protect her from being hurt.

"Well at least I haven't pulled a 'Crashing Cato.'" Luctra snapped back knowing how embarrassing that moment was for Cato. She stopped walking. Cato stopped walking and turned to her, his eyes like ice. She was going to make him snap, make him show her his true colors and that he was exactly what she expected him to be. "We're you that desperate to get to Katniss or just that stupid?"

"You wanna talk about desperate? You know how you sounded in the cave?" Cato was being vicious right now and couldn't stop himself. He was overrun with jealousy, she was so comfortable with the other guys, had no problem with them touching her or touching them while he had to pin her to the damn floor to get a kiss or yank her hair like a caveman. He saw the hurt flash in her eyes but his anger was too far gone to care. He started mimicking her moans.

Luctra was mortified. She had been right the whole time. Trust an attractive man that you're attracted to, give him any power over you and he'll rip you apart. She had needed as reason to block him out and now she had it. She didn't understand why being right hurt so much more this time then it had in the past.

"I really do hate you. Don't ever come near me again." Luctra hissed. Horrified that she could actually feel tears coming to her eyes; she could barely look at him. She was right so she should be angry not hurt.

"Why would I when I'd have to climb over all the other guys to get to you." Cato shot harshly. Another streak of hurt flashed through her eyes at the insinuation. Cato was being down right cruel.

"I happen to like being around people CATO! And unlike you people like being around me, so SUCK IT UP YOU MAY BE BETTER THEN ME BUT YOU'RE ALL ALONE!" She yelled at him angrily. If he was going to treat her this way then she was going to remind him just how alone he was in this world because he was a Career. The tears were going to spill soon and she didn't need to be looking at him when it happened. She started up walking north again.

"And one day you'll wake up and be just as alone as I am when people don't need you to protect them anymore." Cato snarled. Luctra felt like Cato had just stabbed her in the heart with that comment. With this Luctra wiped her face with her free hand and kept trudging north. Cato knew this wasn't the animal taking over, this was just him being a jealous asshole who didn't know how to talk about his fears. The academy didn't let you have fears so how was he supposed to know how to talk about them. Too bad Luctra didn't know that. To her he had gotten what he wanted and she had failed some sort of test. Cato followed her fuming. She wasn't fighting; she had just shut down, like in the cave.

Cato walked behind Luctra. He could hear a sniffle now and then. Bending down he picked up a rock and threw it passed Luctra, like he had with the spear. The rock hit something and then exploded. Luctra jumped back, the end of the shield was about 15 feet from her. If Cato hadn't thrown the rock she might have walked right into it and blown herself up.

Luctra stuck the carver into the ground and gingerly took off her 'bomb pack' then placed it on the ground. Her other pack still on she silently walked past Cato and back into the woods. As she passed Cato saw her slightly red and puffy eyes. Luctra walked back until she heard them. The Mockingjays. She whistled up the north team tune. Now all they had to do was wait for the flare.

* * *

It had been a couple of hours since they got to their edge. Luctra was sitting beside her 'bomb pack' where she had dropped it with her hood up staring at the shield. She hadn't said a word to Cato since he had humiliated her. He was pacing behind her like a lion trapped in a cage. He was upset, but Luctra didn't give a shit. He had really hurt her and she would try to kiss Clove before she would talk to him first. It didn't come to that though.

"Why do you let them touch you, touch them back willingly and not me?" He finally asked. It had been driving him insane since he had seen her come back with Marvel, Thresh and Azra but he had too much pride to ask, but now he had to have the answer. When Luctra didn't answer or move he stormed up between her and the shield standing right in front of her.

"Why do you let them get close to you and not me?" He rephrased. He waited for her reply and was about to start yelling at her when she spoke.

"I want to push you into the shield right now." Was all she said to him coldly. She didn't even look up at him.

"That's fine, but that doesn't answer my question." Cato was glad she was at least talking to him.

"I really don't want to talk to you 2. You're nothing more than a Career with a seriously bad temper." Luctra said monotone. Cato bristled at the comment.

"I had NO CHOICE!" Cato screamed at her. "You have no idea how I ended up in this arena!"

"Your from District 2, its kinda fucking self-explanatory." Luctra sneered.

"I may be from District 2 but you have no clue who my family is." Cato said.

"What does your family have to do with ending up in the arena? You are not making sense. Stop messing with my head!" Luctra shouted.

"If you knew ANYTHING about the Hunger Games you would know my last name means something! In every generation of my family ONE male will volunteer as tribute." Cato snapped.

"You're not really making a valid point dumbass." Luctra said. Cato blew up.

"IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE ME! MY OLDER BROTHER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TRIBUTE. HE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE KILLER! WHEN HE DIED I WAS FORCED INTO THE ACADEMY!" Cato violently voiced to Luctra.

"Well that explains why you were at the academy late. But it doesn't change the fact that you are a Career who is not only physically dangerous, but also a verbal bully. Congratulations you are a complete package." Luctra spat sarcastically. She was pushing him because he had hurt her and she didn't want to understand him. She didn't want a reason to forgive him, to let him in deeper.

He felt his anger rise but surprisingly the animal stopped him. It knew that if Cato pushed Luctra any further away she may never come back to him. He let out a long breath and said something that he had never said to anyone other than his mother and sister.

"I'm sorry."

"Too late 2." Luctra's voice was dead.

"Stop calling me 2." Cato told her keeping his voice level.

"Either I call you 2 and keep responding or I don't respond at all. Choose." Luctra warned him.

"I thought I already made my choice." Cato tried desperately.

"You did. And you also made the choice to humiliate me and treat me like crap. Deal with the consequences." Luctra snapped.

She still wouldn't look at him. Cato rubbed his temples. If Luctra had walls up before she had just thrown barbed wire and a mote around them now. They heard the last tune. Marvel and Katniss were at their edge. Cato and Luctra stood up backing away from the shield, holding their 'bomb pack' and watched the sky. They heard a pop and saw the orange flare. Simultaneous they spun like discuss throwers and launched their packs at the shield. They made contact exploding on impact and then for Cato and Luctra the world went black.

* * *

**CATO'S DREAM  
**

**He was 11 years old and sitting under a tree in the backyard of their massive home. He was reading the book about metal crafting his mother had bought him. He was deeply enthralled reading about all sorts of metal crafts from jewelry, to ornate instruments to the coolest thing, weapons!**

" **Cato!" His mother called from the house. Cato picked up his book and ran back into the house. He found her in the kitchen. His mother had a sad look on her face.**

" **What's wrong mom?" Cato worried. He could see him mom and been crying. It took a few minutes but finally his mom was able to tell him.  
**

" **There was an accident darling. I'm sorry but Apollo didn't make it." His mom said on the verge of new tears. Cato felt his world shatter, his big brother was gone. He only had a few minutes to grieve before his father came through the front door and slammed it shut.  
**

" **CATO! PACK YOUR THINGS WE'RE HEADING TO THE ACADEMY NOW!" His father yelled from the front of the house. Cato looked up at his mom in terror. With Apollo gone that meant Cato would have to be a tribute, he would have to carry on the family legacy. He would have to volunteer for the Hunger Games. Cato threw his arms around his mother's waist**

" **Mom I don't wanna go! Please don't make me go!" Cato begged. He felt his mom pat his head once before someone gripped his arm and ripped him away from his mother. Cato was spun around and a resounding smack echoed in the kitchen. His father had slapped him. Cato began to cry.**

" **Stop with the pussy shit! You're going to uphold this family's legacy or die trying. So man up and be proud you are going to be a tribute. You are going to be a great killer or you're not coming home." His father told him. Cato nodded afraid. His mom looked at Cato like she had just lost her second son at that moment. Cato went up stairs packed his stuff, hugged his little sister who didn't understand why both her big 'browhers' were both going away now.  
**

**That was the last time he had cried. After that day he had begun to change into a monster, the killer his father wanted him to be. For Cato there was nothing left besides the Academy. The academy put him on predetermined path for his future; the path of a tribute, of a killer was all he had for his future. He had nothing else to fight for, nothing else to look forward too. Everything else had been taken away from him.**

* * *

AN: Welcome to Cato's past! Hope that you like the small clip. You will be getting more pieces as the story goes on. Thank you for all of you who are so dedicated to this story and I look forward to hearing from you after I post each chapter. Your reviews are truly what propell me to update so fast and keep ahead of the currently posted chapter. I thank you greatly and I hope you have seen that I do take and use what you have proposed, except for the killing tributes off so Cato and Luctra can get busy. LOL.

Luv

Rayn


	20. A Choice is Not a Chance

Chapter Twenty:

A Choice is Not a Chance

"The hovercraft is ready." Haymitch told Finnick as Finnick joined him on the 12th Floor Tribute living quarters.

"Is everyone gathered? Once we leave no one else will be able to." Finnick asked dropping his bag on the table.

"Yeah. Some are heading back to their Districts, others are coming with us." Haymitch said taking a swig of….water?

"Why are you drinking water?" Finnick asked stunned. Haymitch rolled his eyes.

* * *

When Luctra began to regain consciousness the first thing she noticed was that she felt like she had been pulverized with a sledgehammer. Her whole body hurt. Sitting up against her protesting stomach muscles she looked around. The shield was down had come down. There was a grass field in front of her that hadn't been there before. She also noticed she was about 60 feet back from where she had been standing when she threw her bomb at the shield. The aftershock from the explosion had blown her backwards into the forest. Thankfully Foxy had been right about the shield blowing outwards, like balloon popping instead of inward like someone crushing a can. An implosion would have killed them all. But hey, Finnick had told her to go out with a bang at the Parade. She looked around her. She began to panick as she looked around. She didn't see Cato anywhere.

"CATO!" No response. Luctra got up. Her ears were ringing a bit but she could still hear pretty well.

"CATO!" She started walking around. Any anger she had before had now been replaced by the fear that he was really hurt, or worse.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE CATO WHERE ARE YOU!" Luctra shouted around her.

"I thought you were only calling me '2' from now on?" Cato's voice was strained. Luctra spun to where the voice had come from. 30 feet from her and beside a tree Cato was laying on the ground, not moving. Luctra rushed over to him on slightly wobbly legs from being hurled backwards after the explosion.

"Hey are you okay?" Luctra asked worriedly as she kneeled beside him. She looked him over for any visible wounds. He wasn't moving and that scared her. Cato watched Luctra look him over for wounds. He was in pain but his dream was still fresh in his mind. He needed to fight for what mattered and not fight with what mattered, and right now that was Luctra. If she gave up on him he didn't have a chance. He would REALLY have nothing then. He had taken back some of what the academy had stolen, but without Luctra what would it really matter if he wasn't a monster.

"No. I'm hurt. But I'm not telling you what's wrong until you agree to accept my apology." He told her. Luctra gaped at him. He was really good at putting her in a position where she had to go along with his demands.

Cato had to get her to accept his apology otherwise she would be able to stay angry with him over it. Cato knew that it hadn't dawned on Luctra, but with the shield down their Hunger Games would never restart and therefore she would never belong to him because of the deal. When Luctra realized the deal was void she could just get up and walk out of his life forever still angry, still able to hate him.

Cato knew that the memory he had relived was his minds way of telling him to make shit right. In remembering everything that the academy had taken from him he realized that he was about to lose any chance of ever having Luctra. The academy had shown him that everything could be taken from him and that meant Luctra could also be taken from him. It's probably the reason he assumed that every guy around him was trying to take her from him, because in his life everything but what the academy deemed proper was taken from him by the people who ran it. Luctra seemed to be pushing every button to try and set off his temper so he needed to work on controlling it, which was something he hadn't done in a long time.

"2 seriously just tell me what's wrong." Luctra started poking at him but Cato slapped her hands away with one of his. For Luctra the hard part was unlike normal people, with whom you could tell where they were hurt, Cato was a trained Career and wouldn't show any signs of pain even if she did poke the injured area.

"Don't call me '2'. And I won't tell you what's wrong until you accept my apology." Cato said defiantly. Luctra looked at him. He wasn't going to budge and she knew it, he had the same look as when she had been refusing to sit between his legs. She didn't get why it was so damn important that she accept his apology. He had made it pretty clear that she wasn't anything special to him.

"Fine. I accept your apology because you're hurt and blackmailing me." Luctra replied trying to prod at him again. Cato swatted her hands away a second time frowning.

"Not good enough." He voiced angrily. Luctra jumped a little at his tone, this wasn't something she had thought Cato would get upset about, she had hoped he would just cut her out and leave her alone.

"Do you even know why you're apologizing?" Luctra exhausted. If he didn't know what he did wrong then the apology was hollow and she could write him off. Not that she really thought he meant it anyway.

"I was being an asshole and made it sound like you were a whore." Cato spoke honestly. Luctra was stunned, that was exactly what he had done wrong. It unnerved her that he would admit that, it took the wind out of her anti-Cato sails.

"You smashed your head didn't you?" Luctra ran her fingers through his hair to check for abrasions or bumps. Cato didn't swat her hands away this time. He closed his eyes momentarily loving how tender her fingers were running through his hair. He could imagine falling asleep with his head on her lap while she did this; he really needed her to accept his apology.

"No. But being blown 70 feet backwards and into a tree knocks some sense into you, if only temporarily." Cato joked.

"You're being an idiot. My accepting your apology is not important. You've been fucking with my head since day one and I'm not going to let you do it anymore. Glimmer is around for that shit." Luctra told him angrily trying to get angry Cato back. Cato's eyes narrowed and Luctra's hands stopped in his hair.

"I decide what's important to me." He told her darkly, people had been doing that for him long enough.

"I apologized for what I said; I do not do that often. I am not fucking with your head; you just keep pushing my buttons the wrong way. And NEVER bring up Glimmer again." Cato finished in the same dark tone.

Luctra looked down at him. It wasn't in her nature to hold a grudge when someone seemed to be truly sorry. Hell Marvel had speared Rue and she didn't treat him like she was treating Cato. She decided she could keep up most of her walls and still accept his apology. She knew she pushed his buttons, but she needed to do that to protect herself from him. Plus. Why did her being around Thresh bother him so much though? Hadn't they cleared that whole mess up, that she didn't see Thresh as Cato's superior. Luctra sighed and ran her fingers through his hair again. Cato was right in what he said about accepting his apology and her pushing his buttons.

"Apology accepted. But you ever talk to me like that again and I will never speak to you for the rest of your life." She told him straight. Cato smiled. He would bring up the issue of the guys and her later. Right now he needed her help.

"Perfect. Now what's wrong is that my shoulder is dislocated." He said calmly. Luctra's eyes bugged out. A normal person would have shown some sigh of pain. She gradually ran her fingers over his shoulder joint on the arm that he hadn't used to swat her hands away with. It was out of the socket.

"I don't know how to put it back in." She dismayed. She was really starting to feel useless with all the things she didn't know how to do.

"I can walk you through it." He told her confidently. Cato fleetingly remembered his thoughts about teaching Luctra other things. He thought this would be a good chance to see how good of a student Luctra was.

"Cato…I'm worried I won't do it right." She nervously said biting her lip. Could she ruin his arm if she did it wrong? She wondered about all the things that could go wrong if she messed it up. Cato grinned imagining her looking at him like that while he taught her much dirtier things, as she said the same thing out of nervousness.

"It's easy and you've got an experienced teacher." And he wasn't talking just about re-socketing his shoulder. Luctra picked up that there was a double meaning but she wasn't sure what the second meaning was. She nodded and silent followed his instructions. When the 'pop' of his shoulder going back in happened Luctra freaked.

"Oh my God, are you okay? That sounded like it exploded! I told you that I wouldn't do it right! I totally broke your shoulder! Now you're going to hate.." Luctra rambled.

"LUCTRA!" Cato cut off her rambling. "That's exactly what was supposed to happen. Relax." Luctra took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly. Taking her hand she ran her fingers over Cato's brow and down the side of his cheek, cupping it gently in her palm. She had been worried she had really hurt him and needed to touch him to let him know that. For a moment Luctra forgot about her resolve and her fears, she was just happy Cato was okay. She didn't know it but she was doing the same thing Cato had at the cave when he threw her on the comforter; letting him know with touch she was sorry. Cato looked up at her now relaxed face. He didn't like seeing her worried, but it felt good to know that it mattered to her if he was hurt.

"Kiss me." He whispered hoping he had gotten through to her with his apology. Luctra rubbed her thumb over his cheek and looked down at him sadly. She wanted to, but she wouldn't, she couldn't.

"No."

Cato hated that word.

"You just tore me apart to easily." She whispered. She kept rubbing his cheek trying to sooth any anger that may rise. She knew she was still holding onto the pain from what he did even though she had forgiven him. It was so she could keep her distance.

"I said I was sorry." Cato said leaning into her touch. It was the first time she had touched him just on her own. He wished she wasn't wearing those damn gloves again so he could feel more of her skin.

"I know you're sorry, but I can't forget what you said. I get that you have a temper and a dark side, all of us do, but you turned so viciously on me for no reason, how can I ever trust you won't do it again, or worse?" She finished pulling her hand back.

Cato knew he hadn't turned for 'no reason' but he didn't need to start another argument right now. She had told him what she was worried about, but not why she was worried about it or where those worries came from. Luctra knew she was holding back some important information but she couldn't trust him with that information.

Cato deflated, he was going to have to put himself out there and risk her seeing his fears if he was ever going to know if there was still a chance.

"Alright. But I need to know one thing." Cato softly said. He was terrified, more terrified of doing this then he had ever been of his father or Brutus, even of having to go to the academy. "Do you have any feelings for me other than ones that were a result of trying to survive the games?"

Luctra looked down into Cato's eyes and for the first time she saw vulnerability in them. Her answer actually mattered to him on some deep level. She just didn't know on which deep level it was. Was this still a matter of his pride and ego? Had she challenged him so much that he wasn't going to stop until he broke her? She had so many conflicting emotions and fears. She was terrified of ever falling in love, always had been. She cared so deeply for people and if someone took that love and threw it in her face maliciously, she didn't know if she could survive the pain of it. Unfortunately the look in his eyes affected her mouth and she spilled out the honest answer.

"Yes. But I don't know what they are, and I don't trust them. " She whispered back. She saw relief and then happiness in his eyes. Slowly determination joined the mix.

"I'm going to make you see you can trust me." Cato vowed. Luctra was actually terrified that he would and that fear normally made her do rash things.

* * *

The hostility gone and a somewhat understanding reached Luctra helped Cato up and they made for the Cornucopia. They moved at a quicker pace since it was easier to move without having carrying the bombs. The also quicker because their fear drove them faster. They were the north team and if trouble was coming it would hit them first.

Fortunately nothing happened. They were the second team back to the Cornucopia. Clove and Peeta got back before them and seemed to be getting along decently. Luctra gave Foxy a hug and high-fived Azra congratulating them on their plan working. After that she had been jumped on by Dash. Dash was happy she hadn't tripped and blown herself up. Rue had stood back until Luctra had let go of Dash. Luctra smiled tenderly and brought Rue into her arms.

"You both behave?" Luctra said slipping into mom mode. Cato smiled wondering if he was a Career for life or if he could ever be a part of the 'Lovely Luctra' Clan…

* * *

A few hours later Cato looked up and laughed. Luctra looked up at him from the cargo bin she was picking through in question. He pointed. Luctra looked and laughed. Coming towards them at a speed inhuman for someone his size was Thresh. Getting to the group he stopped and bent over panting. Peeta went up and handed Thresh a canteen of water. Thresh downed the whole thing without taking a single pause. He must have been running that fast for a while.

"I take it Glimmer is somewhere back there." Azra said laughing. Thresh finished draining the canteen and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"She just wouldn't shut up." Thresh groaned. Everyone laughed. It was probably cruel to stick the quietest guy with the most obnoxious and loud girl, but better him then then any of them.

"I know what you mean; I threw myself off a cliff to get away from the bitch." Cato laughed. Inside Luctra cringed…she thought Cato had been coming after her. Or was he just joking about getting away from Glimmer? Thresh looked at him, unsure of the new attitude of the killer Career. Thresh looked to Luctra who didn't seem upset or worried, and to Thresh that said enough.

"Yeah well next time push her off instead and save the rest of us." Thresh joked. A look passed between the two massive men. It was a look that Luctra didn't quite understand, but Dash apparently did because Dash was grinning like an idiot at who Luctra knew were his male idols right now.

In a matter of hours everyone was back. Glimmer came back huffing about Thresh leaving her behind, but nobody cared. Glimmer noticed immediately the lack of hostility between Cato and Luctra. Glimmer wasn't happy about it and an idea formed about how she could do something about it…for good.

"Everybody grabbed your shit. We're heading out." Cato ordered. It seemed extremely surreal to them all. They were all packed up and leaving the Hunger Games arena with 11 other Tributes.

Everyone was carrying different things, but everyone had a weapon. Dash and Rue included. Luctra was happy she finally got her hands on the hook part of the carver set. It had gone missing so she had assumed that someone had taken it and it was lost in the arena somewhere. It turned out that Marvel had been using it to hang his clothes on. Marvel got lectured by Luctra much to Cato's amusement. Marvel hadn't put up a fight; he was too stunned that Luctra's weapon set included a giant hook. Cato wondered about that too, it wasn't a normal weapons set to be made available so it had to be there because of what she did in her evaluations. It might just explain how Luctra got her '10'.

The group started heading south, opposite of where Foxy thought the Capitol was. None of them had any idea where the arena had been located, so they only hoped it was in a District they could pass through unnoticed until they found out just what the hell was going on.

Cato led the group and everyone just filed after him rotating around talking to different people. Luctra stayed with Rue and Dash for the most part, though she did catch Cato's eye as he looked back to make sure everyone was with them. Things were okay but they were awkward. They hadn't really resolved anything yet. Luctra was still terrified of what Cato's vicious temper could do to her and Cato was terrified Luctra would suddenly see him as a monster and go running to someone else.

Luctra felt Rue slowing beside her. "You okay baby girl?" Luctra asked concerned. Rue looked up at her.

"Just a little tired." Rue admitted. Luctra looked back and signaled Thresh. He caught up to them and picked Rue smoothly up into his arms.

"I owe you a lot." Thresh said to Luctra softly as Rue fell asleep on Thresh immediately after he had picked her up. Dash had run up to Cato and was talking nonstop about the slingshot bead catch Cato did during the games. It was funny to Luctra how she found this endearing when a week and a half ago she would have been dead before she let Cato get that close to Dash.

"What do you mean?" Luctra was confused; she had never helped Thresh during the games. Thresh looked down at Rue then back up to Luctra. His eyes were sad and tortured.

"I should have been there for Rue, like you were there for Dash." He said ashamed. Luctra agreed with him but the Games change everyone, even before you set foot in the arena. She had thought Thresh would have taken Rue with him to the field, but maybe for him letting go of her at the bloodbath was easier than the risk of failing to protect her and having some blame in losing her.

"Be there for her now. She didn't have to kill, but no one will understand what she has gone through when she gets home. From the moment she was Reaped to right now, the things she's seen and had to do that are going to affect her for the rest of her life. She is going to need you so she doesn't feel alone." Luctra finished patting him on the arm.

Thresh nodded and straightened. Luctra had given him something he needed, a chance to redeem himself in his own eyes, and that was what Luctra saw burning in his eyes now. Everyone seemed to change once the shield had fallen, like it was okay now, no one would have to kill each other so it was okay to get attached. And depending on what happened Luctra knew that they may end up only having each other.

* * *

"Finnick we need to move out now!" Haymitch told him. They were in District 4 gathering up Dash's and Luctra's families. The rebellion leaders in District 13 had decided to gather all the families of the possibly surviving Tributes from the pro rebellion Districts so they could be brought to safety.

"You had better get my daughter out of there alive Odaire." Caylor, Luctra's father said. Finnick looked at the large man. He suddenly understood where Luctra got her intimidating presence from.

"As soon as all the families are safe we will get them out of the arena." Finnick told him. Caylor nodded heading onto the transport. Finnick looked around and noticed a banner. It was one of many around the rebellion but it was one his favourites. It was a still shot of Luctra running with Rue from the forest fire, Luctra's eyes burning in determination that rivaled the fire around her. Underneath was the motto of the rebellion: "THE SACRIFICE OF THE GODDESS BE NOT IN VAIN!"

"Please don't do anything stupid till we get there." Finnick asked the picture as if it were actually Luctra.

* * *

They hiked from the morning they left to the afternoon the following day. The need to get as far away from the arena drove them to keep going. None had an idea where they were, but some Districts could be eliminated immediately. They weren't in Districts 1, 2, 4, or 12 because it wasn't fancy, by the ocean, or around mountains and mines. The area around them was like the arena, but not as fake and sinister. They were in the woods surrounded by pine trees and nature. Katniss seemed very in her element according to Rue.

"We should stop here. It's good cover and there is a stream nearby." Katniss came up to Luctra and said. Luctra nodded and sprinted up to the front where Cato was. He looked at her as she came up beside him.

"Katniss thinks this is a good area to stop." Luctra told him. Cato looked around him and Luctra knew he wasn't happy about having someone else making calls, well other then her.

"She's a hunter she knows best." Luctra persisted. Cato was still a little sensitive about the whole Katniss beating his score thing so he glared at Luctra before he could stop himself. Luctra shook her head and sighed. Stopping she turned to the group behind her.

"Guys we're gonna stop here for now. Maybe spend the night and recharge before we keep moving." Luctra declared. Cato hadn't turned around; he was trying not to do two things at the moment. One was laugh because Luctra completely ignored him, giving her own orders to the group and scream at her because he was still ticked that she was listening to Katniss over him, no matter how right Katniss was. Behind Cato everyone sighed in relief, they were exhausted, and began setting up a makeshift camp and Luctra grabbed the canteens to refill them. This was the first time they would be sleeping outside the arena since the games started and everyone was a little on edge. Luctra figured it was because everyone was afraid if they went to sleep they would wake up and the escape would have been a just a dream, and that they were still living the Hunger Games nightmare.

Luctra came back and handed out the canteens to everyone. She sat and talked with Peeta for a bit about the cakes he made. She told him that when this was over he would have to make her a birthday cake for her 18th Birthday. Peeta readily agreed as long she promised to take him out on a fishing trip. Easy conversation flowed but she kept feeling his eyes on her.

She wasn't avoiding Cato; she just wasn't going out of her way to talk with him. He kept looking at her, and she knew he was getting irritated that she wouldn't look at him for more than a second. She hadn't figured out what to do yet but she needed to close herself off from him right now. When everyone was settling in for the night she met his eyes longer then she should have as he nodded his head to the side; he wanted to talk to her in the woods away from where people could hear them.

Nodding that she understood she watched him leave, maybe they could come to an understanding and he would leave her alone; be just her friend. She wouldn't admit it to herself but the thought of him just wanting to be friends upset her. She followed him into the woods couple minutes later. She walked until she found him leaning against a tree far enough away from the group where they could talk freely.

"What's up?" Luctra asked standing in front of him but out of arms reach hands in her pockets. She needed to create distance between the two of them both physically and emotionally. Cato ran his hands through his hair a couple times, he didn't get why but he could tell that Luctra had closed off again. Not switched off because she was talking to him, but she was not comfortable being there and it bugged him, hadn't she accepted his apology? He looked at Luctra.

"Look I know that I fucked up, but I think we need to clear up some things and then figure out what the hell is going on between us." Cato said calmly. Luctra knew he was asking her to open up to him, but she needed to make some distance so she brought up what she knew would probably lead to an argument with him getting pissed off.

"Ok. First you need to tell me what the hell happened between the night of the storm and that verbal shit kicking you gave me." Luctra demanded. Cato winced at the last part.

"Thresh."

Luctra rolled her eyes at Cato's answer.

"I thought we had gotten passed that! I don't think he's better than you so park the ego Cato!" She was getting sick of him bringing Thresh, who never was in the picture, into the picture. She was tried of Cato punishing her because he thought that she believed Thresh was better then him.

"I don't like how comfortable you are with him. I saw you squeeze his arm affectionately, grab his bicep when you laughed, and you talk with him completely at ease. You don't do that with me and it irritates the shit out of me. Then the night of the 'forgetting' conversation you went and fucking cuddle right up next to him to sleep after kissing me." Cato stormed. Once he had started talking it had all poured out.

"I'm comfortable with Thresh and hell with the rest of the guys too since I'm sure in your warped little mind they're a problem too. That night I slept by Thresh because I was safer being beside him because then I wouldn't get into it again with you." She admitted. She knew she was making it sound like it was the kiss that was the problem, when in reality it was getting in too deep emotionally that was the danger.

"Great so you don't feel safe with me. What the fuck else can I do so you see I'm not dangerous to you?" He roared.

"You are dangerous Cato to me. Physically I get what happens, for the most part, that's seriously just how you communicate and I'm sorta the same way, but I can't trust you otherwise. I know you won't kill me or hurt me except when we're physically trying to dominate each other in a heated moment." She confirmed. Cato considered that a win. If she thought he would beat her they had bigger issues.

"Then what the hell scares you?" He demanded desperately throwing out his arms.

"Everything else about you Cato." Luctra confessed shuffling a little from foot to foot because she really didn't want to have this conversation. Cato's back stiffened.

"I want specifics at this point." He answered. She looked up to him her eyes dulling a bit. Luctra hadn't thought he was going to call in the deal but she had made a promise. He owned her life and what he wanted she would do.

"Alright I said I would keep my promise so…" She started.

"This has nothing to do with what happened with Rue!" He shouted walking up to her and getting right in her face. "The pause is permanent; we are out of the arena. The deal was void the moment the shield blew." He watched the shock enter Luctra's eyes. She really hadn't thought about it that way, her security net saving her from falling had just vanished.

' _Of course she didn't realize it! That would mean she couldn't write off anything I did as being just about the deal!'_  Cato thought angrily.

"I am asking you, as just Cato, no strings, to give me the real reason you're afraid of me." He calmed his voice and relaxed his aggressive stance.

"You're asking me to open up and trust you Cato and I told you that would take time!" Luctra snapped walking away. She couldn't deal with this.

"You were bullied weren't you?" Cato called to her as she began to leave. Luctra stopped her whole body going tense. She couldn't move. He was getting too close to figuring her out, finding the lynch pin that held her together, that would cause her to fall apart if he found a way to pull it out. This was her weakness that wasn't balanced out by her ability to protect people. She didn't know how to protect herself from her vulnerability.

Cato saw her freeze and knew he had hit a nerve, maybe the one that he could use to break through her fears about him, whatever those fears actually were.

"I saw how you reacted to being called butch by Marvel." Cato continued. He saw her flinch at the word butch again. "Your reactions in the cave to my touch, how you worried about your figure and scars, the way you stressed about how you kiss, and how you find any reason to draw my anger against you." Cato stopped and took a deep breath. "You don't have much experience with men do you?"

Luctra wanted to run away. Get as far away from Cato as possible. He was more perceptive then she had ever thought possible. Stupid of her since he was a warrior, he was trained to find crippling weakness and he had found hers. This was going to be her Marvel moment, but she had no Foxy to come by and fix it afterwards. She never had anyone to fix things for her, which is why she never let herself get into a situation that could break her. Her feet were rooted to the ground, her body too full of fear to make her muscles work. Cato had moved to stand right behind Luctra.

Luctra could feel him standing just behind her, but not touching her body. If she couldn't run she had to answer him. If she told him everything he would leave her alone, he would know her fears and understand why she would never let him in. Why she would never come to him freely on her own.

"Yes. To both questions. I can't change what I look like physically so I decided to work with it rather than fight it. Being butch isn't a bad thing when you are protecting people; it's actually a bit of a bonus." Luctra laughed bitterly. Cato brought himself right behind Luctra trying to give her physical comfort to talk about something that was obviously painful for her. He knew now wasn't the right time to tell her she was FAR from being butch.

Luctra felt Cato take a step closer to her, his body heat penetrating her coat, his breath falling on the back of her head. Cato was giving her comfort to keep going, and Luctra picked up on that. It was a bad sign to Luctra how in tune to each other her and Cato were becoming.

"As for men." She laughed bitterly again. "They called me Butch Buctra as I was growing up, till one day it just stopped. I have been out yes, but never with someone that I actually was attracted to."

"Why not?" Cato whispered. This was the question he needed the answer too. It was the key to understanding what Luctra was doing to him, what she used to rule herself.

"Because it would mean I could get used and humiliated in the worst way possible. I would give a piece of my heart and self to someone only to have them rip it up and laugh in my face for actually believing they actually loved me as a woman, as a partner. Attractive men are the worst because with girls like me who are so below their league but so strong and confident it's a power trip to break us. I want nothing to do with a man that can break me, and therefore nothing to do with men I am attracted to." She finished in almost a whisper.

There it was, all out in the open. She had put her fears out on in the open because Cato had been allowed to get under her skin and had pulled apart her walls by treated her like no man ever had. There were no straight lines with Cato. He was all over the place but everything he had done since they met, every move he had made; they all came back to her in some way. Good, bad and ugly Cato had kept coming back.

"So you automatically ruled me out, over things I have no control over." Cato astonished. Cato now knew she had felt like this then when she traded her life to him for Rue. Even though she had decided he may just want to break her spirit and use her body she had walked into her nightmare to save another. He thought she didn't see him as a monster since she wasn't appalled by the knowledge he was a trained killer. But he was wrong; he would always be a monster to her because of something he had no control over. The change from sadistic killer to the person he could be with Luctra had never mattered. He couldn't change from what she feared, because he couldn't make their attraction go away and he didn't want it to. He had never felt as hopeless as he did right then.

"It's a pattern Cato! Look what happened to Marvel, first Shine and then Glimmer. He was used badly and got hurt, and then had to relive that pain again. That is your class of people, the ones that can destroy someone and enjoy it. You're in the same league as Glimmer and you could do exactly what Shine did to Marvel to me. The problem is I won't bounce back from it, and too many people depend on me for me to allow myself to be broken." She finished tensely.

Cato was processing a lot right now. The damage he had done to her on the way to the shield now seemed so much more devastating knowing the prejudices that she carried. He had done the thing she was afraid of the most, humiliated her without knowing he was playing right into the roll she expected. She wasn't damaged per say but she was terrified and defensive. Cato now understood everything. He fell into the category of men she was attracted to and she wanted nothing to do with him. So she had made sure he had no chance to prove her wrong because with his temper and academy training he didn't know how to deal with his fears properly. Luctra had won.

"I made mistakes early on, but I was just as in the dark about things as you. But once we were both in the light you set me up to fail knowing my temper and on some level knowing my triggers when it came to you. You made me into your monster before we even met each other and made sure I carried out the role when we did meet." Cato voice was so devoid of emotion, like a zombie

Luctra was stunned into silence. Cato step back and walked widely around her heading back to camp. Luctra looked at his retreating back, too much running through her head to be able to say something. Cato stopped his departure momentarily and looked at her over his shoulder without actually looking at her.

"You may have given me a choice Luctra, but you never gave me a chance." Cato said devoid of emotion and then kept on walking.

* * *

AN: Where do they go from here? Can they recover? AHAHAHAHAHA. You can send me as many 'jump his bones' or 'get into each others' pants comments as you want but…..their relationship needs to go at a proper pace for their characters. I am sure there are other, quicker stories no pun intended, that should be able to hold you over while they progress! HAHAHAHAHA

Luv

Rayn


	21. Analyzing Zombies

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT.

Chapter Twenty One:

Analyzing the Zombies

"What's wrong with them?" Peeta whispered concerned the following morning. They could all see that both Cato and Luctra had shut off from the world around them. Since they had all woken up this morning they had been almost completely unresponsive and void of emotion. It was freaking the group out.

"I have no idea. They're acting like zombies." Katniss said watching Luctra who was sitting beside her backpack staring out into space completely dead to the world.

"It's so weird. I poked Cato with the end of my spear and he didn't do jack shit to me!" Marvel whispered worriedly. He actually did have an idea about what might be wrong, but considering the two parties involved he wanted to keep his nose out of it if he could.

"You poked Cato with your spear?" Foxy asked. She looked over to the opposite side of the camp where Cato was sitting at the base of a tree. He was twirling a dagger around his hand, also completely dead to the world except he seemed to have more mental function then Luctra did.

"Yes. It's always safer to poke Cato from a distance." Marvel replied like it was the most obvious thing on the planet. "Do you think maybe they like neutralized each other?" Marvel pondered. Everyone looked at him confused.

"Well they both have tempers and strong personalities, so maybe they got into an argument, then like a grenade they exploded and now there's nothing left but the pieces." Marvel theorized. It was a weird way to put it but all of them were afraid Marvel was right. Cato and Luctra were acting like shells of themselves.

"What are we gonna do now that our two fearless leaders are almost dead to the world?" Azra asked the group.

"Got a defibrillator?" Marvel asked Foxy seriously. Foxy just looked at Marvel then shook her head.

"Look I'll stick next to Cato so he doesn't lead us into a swamp or something." Katniss announced taking up the leadership spot till Luctra snapped out of her funk.

"I'll stick by Luctra and make sure she doesn't wander off or get left behind." Peeta volunteered. He was worried about Luctra. If her fire could go out so quickly what hope did a rebellion have of blazing a trail. The group nodded to each other but stayed standing together silently watching Luctra and Cato. Maybe they could see a clue as to what the hell was wrong with either of them.

"It's a real bitch when someone takes away another person's hope." Clove said coming up to the group. They all looked at her warily not sure if she should be involved in their conversation.

"What do you mean?" Marvel asked. Maybe Clove knew as much as he did, or more about what was going on .

"I've known Cato a hell of a lot longer than all of you and that boy may be one of the most skilled Careers ever to come out of District 2 but they killed him at the Academy." Clove offered looking at Cato. Clove knew she may be crossing a line by talking about this but she owed it to Cato. He had been like this once before and the results hadn't been pretty.

"Ummm…I know I said they were brain dead but he seems pretty alive to me." Azra said scratching his head and looking at Cato.

"Not literally dumbass. You guys wouldn't understand, but the Tribute Academy takes who you are, rips out the parts that won't make you a victor and stuffs in what they want. Cato coming later in his life meant that as hard as they pulled certain pieces of who he was wouldn't come out, so they beat them down instead. But those pieces are still there." Clove snapped. With they way they were looking at her Clove knew they were wondering if the Academy had done the same to her.

"Is that why he gave her the medical supplies?" Katniss asked. She had been wondering about that since it happened, it just wasn't the move of a coldblooded killer.

"And how does this have to do with someone taking hope away? Are we still talking about Luctra and Cato?" Peeta added. He was sure smoke was about to come out of his ears from trying to follow this conversation.

"Yes Lover Boy we are still talking about them! None of you idiots realize that this..whatever...between them didn't just start and end last night. It's got to have more history BETWEEN them since they are both zombies at the same time after buggering off to talk in the woods." Clove hissed. Most were surprised. No one else had seen them go off into the woods together other then Clove.

"THE PUDDING!" Marvel shouted only to have Foxy shush him. Not that either Cato or Luctra had reacted to the outburst. Marvel now knew he hadn't been seeing things this whole time when it came to Cato.

"Exactly." Clove confirmed. Everyone else was extremely confused now. Now there was pudding involved? Seeing the confusion Clove decided to clue people in since she had been the one to clue them in in the first place.

"Something happened during the Games, between Cato and Luctra, after they both went into the river. Whatever it was someone outside the Games thought what happened meant Cato was going soft and sent him pudding to communicate that." Clove concluded.

"Any idea what could have happened?" Azra questioned the group looking around.

"You would have to ask Dash and Rue about that…" Katniss said. They had been with Luctra the longest so if anyone other then Cato knew it would be one of them.

"What would make a killer look soft?" Peeta pondered. He thought Cato was anything but soft and he had the scar on his thigh to prove it.

"Hey when Luctra went over the cliff does anyone know if she was hurt?" Azra asked his brow furrowing as he thought hard about something. He looked to the two Careers in the group. Azra knew about the cliff jumping since Marvel had made a joke about what that cannonball would have looked like, at the river party, and then explained the story to Thresh and himself who had no clue what he was talking about.

"Not from what I could tell. She was crouching down, why?" Marvel asked curiously.

"At the river, you remember her leg?" Azra asked Marvel as the pieces began to fall into place in his head.

"The one with the huge scar on it?" Marvel said remembering the large shiny scar that ran down and around the back of one of Luctra's thighs. It would have been a pretty gruesome injury when it happened.

"Yeah, well that wasn't there at Luctra's interview." Azra recalled. All the boys nodded agreeing. They all vividly remembered Luctra's leg from the interview. What red blooded male wouldn't? "And if she was crouching by the cliff then she got that sometime after she jumped and it was healed before she entered the forest fire, since there is no way in hell she would have been able to run if it was still fresh." Azra deduced having heard from Rue about Luctra saving her in from the forest fire.

"So let me get this straight Luctra threw herself off a cliff, Cato followed, Luctra got seriously hurt and then maybe Cato found her." Katniss listed the events.

"He did find her." Peeta interjected awkwardly. Everyone waited for him to explain how he knew this.

"I found Luctra at the river when I went to fill the canteens while Katniss was up the tree. Luctra said she didn't know why Cato didn't kill her but that there was a real person in him…or something like that." Peeta continued. Clove glared obviously not happy that Peeta had found Luctra and not told them. Peeta looked at her like what did it matter now, they were out.

"Wait didn't Luctra say she smashed Cato in the face with a bowl?" Marvel asked. "She would have had to have been close to him, and since it's fucking Cato he wouldn't have been that close to her unless…."

"Unless he was relaxed and trusted that she wouldn't go after him because he hadn't given her a reason too, that and maybe she owed him for something." Clove finished.

"Her Capitol medicine! Her leg had to have been healed in the time frame between going down river and when Cato came back to camp." Peeta declared. "Helping another tribute would TOTALLY make you look soft if you were supposed to be a ruthless killer." Peeta finished.

"Ok with all these pieces I think we can all agree on the following. Luctra got hurt in the river, Cato found her and must have helped her, they became comfortable with each other, she then smashed him the face with a bowl, probably from a sponsor gift at some point." Azra recounted.

"She must have done that to get away. Remember Cato came back and those wounds on his forehead and back of his head were fresh." Marvel added. He felt like they were trying to figure out one of those 'who-done-it' novels.

"That means the reason they separated was because she was able to run off, but why would he help her..." Katniss whispered looking at Cato. It just didn't make sense why he would help Luctra out with her leg, and then Rue.

"He likes her." Dash just joined the group making everyone jumped. They hadn't known he was listening.

"How do you know that?" Katniss asked turning to Dash.

"The night before we dropped the nest on you guys he found where we were hiding. He said he just wanted to see her and then kinda got a sad look on his face when he saw her hands." Dash supplied.

"Her hands?" Marvel questioned.

"Luctra got burned really bad in the fire, you wouldn't have seen it cause she wears her gloves all the time. He also left his shirt for her." Dash said confused still by the last part.

"I thought he just took it off for the sake of the sponsors." Marvel said thinking back to when they had woken up and Cato was bare chested, swatting away Tracker Jackers.

"But that doesn't explain how Luctra took his hope!" Katniss hissed. This was getting to be a really stupid conversation. She didn't see how Luctra could have taken hope from Cato when she gave it to so many other people.

"Because I think she rejected him." Clove put in. If Luctra had broken Cato, Clove was going to carve her name in Luctra's other leg.

"Ok well that could explain Cato if he REALLY liked her, but that doesn't explain why Luctra's has the brain function equivalence of a marshmallow with a toothpick." Marvel mentioned as he looked at Luctra who was sitting with her knees to her chest and her carver loose in her hand.

"Because she likes him to." Dash confessed quietly. He had never seen Luctra like this, so he hoped he was doing the right thing by telling them. Luctra was a super private person but she was hurting and Dash was afraid he'd lose her if she didn't snap out of it. Everyone snapped to Dash completely shockedl.

"What…."

"Just like you've know Cato I've known Luctra. She's mean to him and sometimes awkward, it's what she does when she likes a guy so they'll leave her alone." Dash told them. Luctra had actually told him as much when he asked why she was always arguing with Harhn, a boy from school, when he would try to talk to her. Harhn was a little less good looking then say Finnick or Cato, but he was still good looking, according to the girls that went to school with Dash.

"This makes so much sense now! After Cato came back from Luctra he was different, like angry but not lethal, he also tried to stab Glimmer when she got to close to him." Marvel concluded joyfully. He had thought Cato overreacted to Glimmer trying to snuggle with him, but if Cato was into Luctra then it MADE way more sense. He was right about all the things he had seen Cato do, and his reactions to Luctra since she dove off the cliff, which had obviously scared the shit out of Cato so he jumped after her. He had told Foxy about what he had seen and they had agreed to watch and see if he was right. Now he knew he was.

"Whatever he was hoping for, Luctra's rejection has taken it from him, and without the Hunger Games as a Tribute Cato really doesn't have anything left." Clove said sadly. She knew how hard Cato had fought at first to resist becoming a cold blooded killer, but eventually the instructors had beaten him down enough that Cato began to morph into what they wanted.

"This is weird though, normally Luc's doesn't get bothered when she shoots someone down." Dash expressed confused.

"Unless Cato took her down with him." Foxy whispered. The group looked back forth between the two strongest people in the group, who they now figured had destroyed each other. The survival of the group depended on the two of them and they all silently prayed that things would end up working out.

* * *

The following two days Luctra walked with the group in a daze. Cato had shattered her world that night and she had stayed standing in the same spot Cato had left her at trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. She was at first in complete disagreement with his last comment. Of course she gave him a chance! She had let him kiss her twice. Well he had to pin her down for one and the second was basically the retaliation after she basically told that he was a shitty lover; his way of defending himself against what was a pretty stupid accusation on her part. Cato was way to good of a kisser to be bad in bed.

The following days she started going over every moment she had spent with Cato from the silent stare down in the training centre to the last argument a few nights ago. When he had thrown the spear right past her, and then gotten right up in her personal space she knew deep down his confidence appealed to her. He wasn't intimated by her strength; on the contrary, he made her feel more like a woman then she had ever felt before as he stared her down. She knew he was a danger to her right from that moment. After the training center encounter she assumed the worst about him, because she knew she had his attention on some level.

Then came the elevator. Where all their problems had started, and like he said it put them both in the dark about each other. The way he had treated her, controlled her, made her heart race, it made her all the more scared of him. He was a dangerous killer and attractive and that meant he could try to hurt, in both a physical and an emotional way. And she had thought he was going to do that by going after Dash. In the elevator that night she had assumed he knew she was talking about Dash since it would make sense, Dash was her weakness in the Hunger Games. She had never allowed a guy that intimately close to her, and Cato had over powered her sense and body, but she knew now knew how gentle he was with her compared to what he was actually capable of.

Then their time in the cave had followed. It had been a charged situation both emotionally and physically for both of them. She thought she was with a mindless killer who was after someone she loved. He thought he was with a girl that had chosen another boy over him was continually rubbing that fact in his face. He had forced her to clean her leg, and been so gentle and considerate of her injury while he cleaned it out. Cato tended to communicate physically which explained the harsh treatment when he thought she was trying to escape, which she guessed was because he thought she was trying to get to Thresh since he thought she was aligned with Thresh. He had calmed down when he realized he had scared her. He had even backed down completely when he thought she was responding to him and his touch while he healed her leg. She hadn't helped on that one with how turned on she got and not knowing how to hide it. He became even what she would consider affectionate towards her, covering her with the blanket and leaving so she could sleep, then wanting her to come with him so he could keep her close, but she had knocked him out at the first sign of trouble. The last part wasn't so bad since it was when she was still in the dark and thought she had to protect Dash from him.

Then he had found her again, though she still didn't know how he knew that she was ther. He had seen her when she was physically injured and exhausted. He could have just taken her right there but he understood then why she was with Dash. That she would fight to stay with Dash and resent him if he took her away. Looking at it now he probably left her his shirt more as a sign of peace then a demand she come to him. If he had wanted only to posses her for his ego's sake, he would have just taken her kicking and screaming because he knew in her condition she wouldn't have been able to fight back. No he had wanted her to come freely to him without fear.

Then there were the Tracker Jackers stingers. She had done what she did because she knew he would never know. She could instigate the intimate contact with him that she desperately wanted to do. She was terrified of the consequences of trying to do that when he was awake, but thinking back to their two kisses she had been fine with them because he had instigated them. He had taken them and therefore she hadn't risked anything. He wouldn't know that she had wanted them also. She could blame kissing him back on her hormones, but then she had been worried if he liked them. Those fears were partly because of her inexperience, and partly because she didn't want Cato to know that she had felt something for him, that he had a power over her, that she wanted him.

And then she was forced to go to him, beg him for the help only he could give her. But a part of her had known it was safe to go, that he would give her what she needed if she offered herself, because he wanted her, and not her life. He now knew how terrifying it was for her. Not because he was an incredible killer but because he was everything she thought would destroy her. He was a strong, handsome, experienced and confident man. He had comforted her twice, once when she felt the world of the Hunger Games for the first time and then with her hands. He had been so tender with her. He had given her the means to save Rue and then let her off the hook for it. Even for Cato that would be a lot of faking to do just for laugh. The game was over, he had set her free from her deal and he was upset with her about how she had treated him. He had a temper but she had matched it for the most part, he did scare her but considering their last kiss she realized that fear had disappeared. She knew then that she had always been free to challenge him and she did just that.

So she challenged him, pushed his buttons in a way that she knew he would give her a reason to hate him, to make her right. But he was so gentle with her compared to what she did to him when they argued. Hell she had tried to knee him in the groin, smashed him over the head twice with a blunt object, punched him in the face at the stream, beat on his chest after that, and even tried to bite him, but he had never retaliated on that, not once. She made him turn his temper against her, but he had tried to distance himself from her to stop it. He even cooled off when she needed him to take out her Tracker because she was afraid to. Before that he came to her rescue because he knew she was worried about hurting Dash, and he didn't want her to face the guilt or pain it did hurt him. Even in his most angry state he was worried about her. She had manipulated his dislike of Thresh to hurt him and she knew it. It had as much to do with keeping Cato away as it did with wanting him to hate her.

What the last straw had been that made him vent it all out on her she would never know, there were just too many possibilities. All the signs of jealousy had been there and she had exploited them to protect herself. Convincing herself that his jealously was actually a deeper more sinister need to destroy her. Before he had kissed her both times she had been pushing him to get angry, but instead he had physically tried to communicate that he wanted her. He wasn't trying to break her; he was trying to break through to her.

And he had, Luctra just hoped it wasn't too late and that he would understand. He needed to know that she knew he was right, and that she hadn't given him a chance. But maybe she could try to give him one?

"We'll stop here for the night." Cato's dead voice brought her back to earth. She was in the middle of the group, probably because everyone who had tried to talk to her had been met by silence. They were probably worried she would get lost if she fell behind everyone. Luctra looked up and saw Katniss next to Cato. Luctra guessed that since she was out of it Katniss had stepped up and was taking charge till Luctra could get back into it.

"The stream gets a bit wider about 10 minutes that way." Katniss told everyone pointing to her right. Katniss had taken on role as scout for the group because it was her element. Luctra thought it had been funny when Katniss had walked up to her, declared that and then walked away without waiting for a reply. Now that was the Girl on Fire Luctra mused.

Luctra was getting a sleeping roll ready when she thought of something, or better yet someone, that could help her figure out how to bring Cato around. It would be useless to try and talk with him, even apologize if he was shut off. Luctra knew how to deal with dark Cato, mad Cato, pissed off Cato, turned on Cato, animal Cato and snuggly Cato. She had no clue how to deal with an emotionally dead Cato. She needed help from someone who knew how to draw someone out.

* * *

"President Snow." The Captian of the Capitol Defence called once he was admitted to the President's office. President Snow laid his hands on his desk and stared down the Captain. The Captain swallowed nervously.

"Captain, explain to me how a group of Tributes, locked inside the arena with nothing but the supplies we gave them have managed to bring down the shield?" President Snow asked deadly calm.

"We don't know. But we are sending The Capitol Squadron into the arena as we speak. They have tracker locators and will find them. What do you want done with the Tributes once they are captured?" The Captain asked. President Snow looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Kill them all except her. I want you to bring me the 'Goddess of the Games' from District 4." President Snow ordered him. The Captain saluted and left to go join the team leaving for the arena. He would bring this 'Goddess of the Games' to the Capitol and break her before all of Panem. He just had to figure out the best way to go about breaking her.

* * *

"Hey Foxy can I bug you?" Luctra asked walking up to her as Foxy set out her own sleeping roll. Foxy looked up surprised. Luctra had been dead to the world for a while, and with Cato out of it too the group was worried things would never get fixed. Foxy took this as a good sign that Luctra had figured something out.

"Yeah sure let's fill some canteens." Foxy said. The girls grabbed the canteens and headed to the stream Katniss had mentioned. They were silent as they walked. Foxy knew that Luctra would talk when she was ready. At the water Luctra started talking.

"How did you bring Marvel, like, back to life after the stunt Glimmer pulled?" Luctra asked her brow furrowed as she filled a canteen. Foxy wasn't surprised by the question.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

" **Marvel wait up!" Foxy called. Marvel had made it around the back of the Cornucopia had half way to the woods before Foxy had caught up with him. He stopped when he heard her but didn't move. Foxy ran up to him and got in front of him. He looked so sad she thought.**

" **Hey what Glimmer did was really awful." Foxy told him. Marvel's eyes were glazed over. Foxy knew he was still living in the memory and pain of that moment.**

" **You missed Clove, Luctra and Katniss talking about turning Glimmer into one of those raccoon hats." Foxy laughed. She knew how much Marvel liked his raccoon jokes. She got no reaction.**

**She knew she needed to pull him out, just like he had pulled her out of her shyness. She stood in front of him for a good 10 minutes trying to work out a plan in her head.**

" **You know what I got from that story?" She asked him. He didn't react. "I wondered what you looked like all dressed up in a cute suit." His eyes came to life a little. She was on the right track.**

" **Of course seeing you after the river party was great, but there's something about a guy dressed up all classy that just makes a girl weak." She giggled. Marvel turned his face to her still a small amount of life back in his eyes.**

" **If I had been at that party you would have probably ended up carrying me, not coats, because I would have been so weak at the knees seeing you looking so great." She smiled. It was working; he corners of his mouth were starting to turn up. She just needed that one last push. Lifting her fingers to the zipper of her jacket Foxy pulled it down and opened her coat. Pulling it off her body she threw it as far to the side as she could and stood in front of Marvel.**

" **Also I really don't need to wear coats, and purses are just a useless accessory. I stuff everything in my shirt when I got out." She grinned. Marvel smiled at her a heartfelt smile. Marvel's smile warmed Foxy to her toes. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. It seemed that was the last step because Marvel grabbed her around the waist and spun her in a circle laughing like the happy Marvel she liked. When he put her back on the ground he was smiling like a lunatic at her.**

" **You okay now?" Foxy asked seriously. Marvel leaned down and placed a light quick kiss on her lips. Now Foxy was grinning like a lunatic. It was her first kiss and it was perfect.  
**

" **Never better." Marvel told her adoringly.**

" **Look I'm sorry about the whole 'killer' problem. I just don't do well with violence. It's not you personally, it's just I know some people enjoyed the killing and that freaks me out." Foxy told him honestly as Marvel held her. Marvel rested his forehead against hers, her arms around his neck, his around her waist.**

" **I am a Career, I know how to kill and I killed kids. I couldn't let myself feel the weight of that Foxy. I wanted to go home." Marvel whispered sadly. Foxy nudged his face with hers so he would look at her.**

" **We all have a chance to get home now. And like Luctra said everything else is in the past. I won't judge you on how you survived, because that's what it was. Surviving." Foxy affirmed. Marvel's eyes sparkled as he looked into hers eyes.**

" **You're pretty smart." Marvel grinned.**

" **Well one of us has to be." Foxy teased. Marvel raised a challenging eyebrow. Foxy grinned and tried to move out of Marvel's arms. It didn't work and Marvel spent the next 20 minutes mercilessly tickling Foxy.**

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

"By reminding him someone cared." Foxy said grinning at the memory. Luctra stopped filling the canteen in her hands. She sat back and stared at Foxy. "It's not as easy as it sounds." Foxy continued seeing the look on Luctra's face.

"It never is." Luctra bemoaned and started filling again.

"It took me a while to crack through, but since we had talked all night during the storm I knew I could get through if I persisted." Foxy smiled remembering that night.

"You didn't get frustrated or angry, and like argue?" Luctra asked. Foxy sent her a soft smile.

"We're not you and Cato." Foxy teased. Luctra wasn't even surprised that Foxy knew. The way her and Cato had been acting it was obvious that something happened between the two of them. Also the fact that Foxy was a GENIUS didn't hurt either.

"The group would never survive with more than one of us." Luctra joked. Talking with Foxy was making her feel better.

"Probably not." Foxy laughed. She wasn't going to bring up that the group had pretty much figured the Cato/Luctra saga while they were in zombie land. Rue and Dash shedding a lot more light on the situation. "Look I don't know either of you that well, but from what I have heard from Marvel and seen for myself that boy cares about you."

"What do you mean 'heard from Marvel'?" Luctra questioned.

"Marvel may be a dork but he's got eyes like a hawk. He told me he first clued in when he saw the look of fear run over Cato's face when you dove off the cliff, after that he saw how Cato would react when you were around Thresh, how Cato would smile when you smiled and how eager he was to scramble over the cargo bins to get to the side you were on." Foxy recounted. Luctra hadn't paid attention to those things, some because she wouldn't have seen them and others because she didn't want to know.

"The hard thing is that as protective as I am, it made me lock out people that could make me vulnerable. Therefore I really don't trust certain people, and that leaves me with a lot of baggage." Luctra confessed sadly. Foxy reached out and put a hand on Luctra's shoulder.

"Cato is a Career Tribute, I'm pretty sure he has baggage too." Foxy said. Luctra thought back to what Cato told her about his brother. "As for the rest, your one of the strongest people I have ever seen, and I haven't even seen some of the shit you pulled during the games to save Rue and Dash." Foxy laughed as Luctra grinned at the sorta compliment.

"With Marvel I just had to push the right 'good' button to get him back." Foxy finished going back to filling the canteens with a grin on her face. Luctra considered what Foxy was saying. Up to this point she had been pushing all the wrong buttons on Cato in order to make him back off of her. It was time she pushed one that brought him to her. She started to feel the same confidence and will that she had felt when she decided to kiss Cato's neck when he was hallucinating.

"Also physical contact does hurt. Guys are like puppies, they'll sulk all they want but the minute you put a finger on them they turn to putty." Foxy smirked. Luctra laughed out loud at that and it felt good. She would bet Foxy had no idea that she and Cato were better physical communicators then verbal, for the most part.

* * *

AN: Was that good Foxy/Marvel time? They are a very different couple then Cato/Luctra, more gentle. Would you like me to include Peeta/Katniss time too? Clove's past will be entering the picture too, in order to understand Cato more. And yes I will be including things from the Academy.

Luv

Rayn


	22. Bringing Someone Back to Life

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES NOR THE CONCEPT

Chapter Twenty Two:

Bringing Someone Back to Life

When Luctra and Foxy got back to the group most people were in their bed rolls sleeping or dozing off. It was like they were all slowly catching up on the sleep the games had robbed them of. Luctra was pretty sure she would have been in the same boat had she not slept so well in the cave with Cato. Luctra looked around at the people spread out. Of course Cato was a little away from everyone. He was laying on top of his sleeping roll on his back his hands behind his head. He had his eyes open and was staring up at the moon, which was more comforting now that it was the REAL moon. Luctra looked at him and sighed, tonight wasn't the right night to talk with him. She had to do this right so she needed a plan before she did anything. She put down the canteens and moved her sleeping bag to the other side of the group that was closest to Cato. Just because she wasn't going to talk to him didn't mean she couldn't be close to him.

She watched him over the edge of her sleeping bag. He was just staring up at the moon breathing slowly. Luctra watched the rise and fall of his chest, watching how it would expand when he breathed in. She noticed how his biceps muscles were more defined as they flexed supporting his head. He was wearing his jacket but she could see a small sliver of his skin where the jacket and shirt rode up a bit from his pants. She wanted to run her fingers over that bit of skin to see if he would jump at the contact. She sighed. He looked so sad, the moon shining on his face outlining his smooth skin and defined cheeks bones. She liked seeing his face crinkled in a smirk versus this.  _'What have I done to you? Can I even undo it?'_  Luctra thought and feel into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"So we still have no idea where we are?" Dash asked as they continued to make there way through the forest.

"We're in a disgusting forest." Glimmer snipped back from the front beside Cato. Dash rolled his eyes.

"Holy shit those are trees! I thought they were giant broccoli!" Marvel shouted looking around the forest like he was seeing it for the first time. Luctra laughed.

"You're an asshole Marvel." Glimmer shouted back. Marvel gave Glimmer the finger and she then turned back to Cato.

"You know I thought you would feel more at home here Glimmer. You know, in your natural habitat…or are you a city raccoon?" Luctra shot.

"Definitely city, no woods raccoon would be seen with such greasy hair." Marvel answered coming up to walk beside Luctra. Luctra and Clove were walking second from the back, Marvel and Foxy bringing up the rear.

"My hair is NOT greasy!" Glimmer screeched running her fingers through her hair. She hated being criticized; she was too good for that.

"YES IT IS!" The group chorused, minus Cato. Glimmer huffed and moved closer to Cato. He was obviously upset. Glimmer was excited at the fact that it was probably because of Luctra. Maybe she wouldn't have to take the extreme measures she thought she would.

Cato felt Glimmer move closer but didn't move away. Maybe Luctra was right, Glimmer was the type of girl he deserved to be with; she was the normal type he used for sex. He had done so much wrong in his life that why should he think he was actually entitled to be with someone with strong convictions, and someone he felt more for then just sexual need. God had probably put Luctra in his life and given her those fears so Cato would be reminded of just how little in life he deserved. Maybe he should give Glimmer a chance.

"Catooooo…..why are you so sad?" Glimmer cooed placing her hand on his bicep. Cato cringed remembering EXACTLY why he had stabbed Glimmer's sleeping bag. He changed his mind. He would rather screw Marvel while making eye contact then have ANYTHING to do with Glimmer.

"Seriously, can you just leave me alone?" Cato asked her monotone pulling his arm out of her grasp. He trudge ahead moving away from Glimmer and the rest of the group. If he had been less lost in himself he would have seen the dark unstable shift move through Glimmer's eyes.

* * *

"Was she like this when you were at the Cornucopia?" Luctra looked to Clove and asked. Luctra had seen the way that Glimmer clung to Cato and complained about everything. It was almost at a creepy level the amount Glimmer thought only of herself.

"It was worse when Cato was gone." Clove said gaging Luctra's reaction. Clove was happy to see a small amount of concern flash through Luctra's eyes when she saw Glimmer put her hand on Cato.

Luctra bit her lip recalling why Cato had been missing. So much would have been different if he hadn't followed her into the river. She wondered what would have happened if they had understood each other in the elevator and she had joined the alliance. Would Glimmer have prevented them from getting to know each other?

"How so?" Luctra asked trying to sound unconcerned. Clove wasn't fooled.

"Well she kept going on and on about her face. She was constantly making threats on your life and your face." Clove said nonchalantly. Luctra wasn't exactly surprised by this. Glimmer was so full of herself that of course she would hate the person that tarnished her good looks.

"Not surprising. I'm surprised she hasn't bitten me yet." Luctra laughed.

"Well there's still time Seaweed." Clove said smugly. Luctra rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha. The Games are over so she can just kiss my ass Short Stack." Luctra brushed off. Clove shook her head. Luctra hadn't been around Glimmer long enough to see that there was just something off with Glimmer. Clove had noticed it during the beginning of the bloodbath, the way Glimmer killed was just so…like it wasn't that she was killing or torturing, but more about how she would look for the cameras after every slice. Clove remembered Glimmer bragging about how she killed 6, like it was the most amazing kill ever. Then Cato had told her that Luctra had actually taken Glimmer down while 6 died, making Glimmer's kill blown out of proportion compared to any of theirs.

"I thought you said Glimmer wasn't your type?" Marvel piped up.

"Marvel?" Luctra shot back sweetly.

"Yes?" Marvel said batting his eyes dramatically.

"You wanna find out what the hook is for?" Luctra asked sweetly holding it up to him. Marvel gulped and hid behind Foxy.

"Magnificent Marvel my ass." Foxy said rolling her eyes. Marvel put his chin on Foxy's shoulder and pouted sticking out his bottom lip. Foxy looked to Marvel on her shoulder glaring, but crumbled when he batted his eyes at her. Huffing in resignation she kissed him on the cheek. Marvel put on his signature lunatic happy grin.

Luctra and Clove shook their heads and kept walking. Oh yeah, the Careers and LLC were DEFINITELY starting to get attached to each other.

* * *

They set up camp early that night, while the sun was still up so they could have a fire and cook whatever Katniss and Rue could find. Turned out they would eat pretty well that night and not have to deep into their nonperishable supplies.

"I am so happy that you can hunt Katniss." Peeta said biting into another piece of venison.

"Even if it is illegal." Marvel laughed. After she caught the venison and had come back to MANY shocked faces Katniss had explained about hunting to feed her family illegally.

"Well some of us aren't as lucky as the higher Districts." Katniss said coldly. Marvel waved a hand signify he had meant nothing bad by the comment. Marvel then turned to look at Luctra.

"You're scary." Marvel deadpanned. Luctra raised an eyebrow at him as she bit into a piece of her venison. He kept staring at her without blinking. Luctra rolled her eyes and swallowed.

"What did you think it was for?" She asked him.

"Well not that!" Marvel cried pointing at the carved up venison.

"Not my problem you have no idea what WORK tools looks like." Luctra countered.

"Sorry that I don't know any other FEMALE butchers!" Marvel shouted laughing.

"I'm not a butcher you idiot I'm from District 4!" Luctra said throwing a rock at Marvel playfully.

"Yeah she's a fish monger at the processing plant!" Dash shouted.

"And that means what exactly?" Foxy asked. The only plants she was familiar with was power plants and there was NO way they trained people for what Luctra had done a few hours ago.

"Ugghhh…I work in the fish processing plant on what we call the Hang Line. It means that I gut, scale and carve the massive fish." Luctra groaned. She was sure she just made herself look even more masculine in their eyes.

"So that explains what you just did to the deer." Peeta said. He had been a little freaked out too when Luctra had volunteered to clean and portion the deer that Katniss had caught. So had Katniss. But after stringing to up the animal to hang from a tree Luctra had used her hook and carver to gut, skin, and divide the meat with scary precision.

"So it's not as glamorous as baking. It pays well so piss off." Luctra snapped. She had taken enough shit from boys in her life about working at the plant on the Hang Line. Peeta was surprised at her reaction.

"Sorry, didn't mean to offend. It's just not a skill I've seen before. Even Katniss isn't that good." Peeta offered. Luctra just sent him a small glare and bit into another piece of meat. She knew she was acting touchy but it was a touchy subject. An awkward silence fell over the group. Cato ate his food quietly, now understanding another part of Luctra's whole image problem. From the sound of it what she did for a living was seen as a male job, which would explain the muscles she had and all the sensitivity she had to being called 'butch'. Dash fiddled with his dagger and then tried to throw it into the ground. It bounced and landed on its side.

"THAT'S NOT HOW YOU THROW A KNIFE!" Clove shouted startling everyone in the group. Dash looked up his eyes wide with fear.

"I…don't…know how to throw one." Dash stuttered. Clove stuffed the rest of her food in mouth.

"You look like a chipmunk Short Stack." Luctra sassed hoping to take the focus off Dash. Clove gave her the finger while she finished chewing and wiped the grease off on her pants.

"Well you're going to learn so I don't have to watch that shit." Clove said pointing to the fallen knife at Dash's feet. Dash was frozen with fear as Clove marched up to him, grabbed the knife off the ground and hauled Dash to his feet. Luctra found it funny since Dash wasn't much shorter then Clove. Clove dragged Dash away from the group and to a tree to use as a target. Clove spent the next few hours showing Dash how to use a knife in combat and to throw it. Luctra had to admit that Clove seemed like an excellent teacher.

"YES!" Dash shouted just as it was getting dark. Luctra looked over and saw that Dash had managed to hit the tree with the knife. It wasn't at all targeted but it hit point first.

"That's awesome Dash!" Luctra cheered giving him the thumbs up. She watched Dash give Clove a quick hug and then race over to the knife and pulled it out of the tree trunk. Luctra fell over laughing as Clove became stiff as a board when Dash hugged her. Apparently Clove wasn't used to physical demonstrations of affection or gratitude.

"We should put out the fire and get settled for the night." Cato said dully. It was almost dusk and they couldn't risk the wrong people seeing the light or the smoke. Katniss nodded. She and Peeta began to kick dirt on the fire. Glimmer walked up with a canteen to throw water on it.

"DON'T!" Katniss shouted snatching the canteen out of Glimmer's hands.

"WHAT! The fire has to be put out!" Glimmer snapped. Katniss rolled her eyes.

"If you pour water on it, it will send up a huge cloud of steam! Dirt won't!" Katniss snapped back. Glimmer turned red and stormed off. Glimmer was really getting tired of being embarrassed. In her head if Luctra wasn't here she would be the dominate female at Cato's side. She was from District 1 for fuck's sake! She was second to no one and they were going to realize that soon enough.

* * *

Luctra came back from the stream after washing her face and letting her hair down. The group was following the stream so they would have a continual water supply. Luctra walked over and grabbed her sleeping bag. She looked around at the group. Pretty much everyone was sleeping and Cato was once again a little distance from the rest of the group. He was lying on top of his bag with his hands linked on top of his chest with his jacket off. He had his eyes closed so she wasn't sure if he was sleeping or not. He looked so peaceful, so she decided that now was the right time to talk to him.

Cato heard someone coming over to him. He tensed for a moment thinking it was Glimmer, but relaxed as he noted the footfalls were too heavy to be Glimmer's. He kept his breathing even waiting to see what the person would do once they had stopped beside him. Luctra looked down at Cato trying to figure out how the hell to do this once she got to his side. Getting frustrated she just did what felt right and dropped her sleeping bag to the side. Luctra sat down beside Cato facing him with her hip against his ribs. Cato smelled her as soon as she had sat down. He wasn't exactly thrilled she was here but he just let it be. Luctra noticed he didn't move. It was now or never. Either she took a chance or she lost him for good.

Luctra took her hand and placed it on top of his linked ones. Leaning over Cato's body sideways she then put her forearm over his. She brought her body over his, his abdomen underneath her armpit the side of her body stretched across his. She laid her cheek against her hand; the one that was on top of his linked ones.

Cato didn't know what Luctra was doing. She was basically lying on top of him right now. He didn't respond to her because part of him wanted her to stay and the other part wanted her to just get lost. He was completely torn between hating her for being here and wanting to take whatever she would give him. Cato decided to let her choose so he took a deep breath expanding his chest to let her know that he was awake, but that he was not acknowledging her.

Luctra's body rose when he took a deep breath. Luctra knew that he knew she was here and that he wasn't going to start talking to her. Foxy had said this wasn't going to be easy and she was right. Luctra remembered back in the cave how Cato had run his fingers over her leg to let her know he meant her no harm after he got so angry with her. He understood apology as a physical sign so she thought she could start there. Luctra placed her free hand on Cato's forearm which her body wasn't covering. Luctra turned her face to watch her free hand on his forearm. Keeping her cheek still on her hand on his chest over his hand she took a small breath. Slowly she dragged her hand up his forearm to his wrist.

Cato stopped breathing as he got goose bumps on his arm as she touched him. Once at the top of his wrist Luctra ran her fingers back down tracing over his veins on his arms. Cato felt his skin tingle under her fingers. Traveling back up his forearm she took time to trace over the small scars that littered the skin wondering where each one had come from. Cato's muscle twitched, his arm wanting to reach out to touch her back. At his wrist Luctra traced over the little bone there with her finger tips and then ran her whole palm back down over his forearm pressing into the skin firmly, massaging it.

Cato sighed. No matter how much it pissed him off and hurt, Luctra was so far under his skin she was becoming a part of him. He couldn't turn away her attentions because he craved them so much. She may never allow herself to care for him, to let him in, or want be with him, but he was going to take what she gave him. Cato unlinked the fingers that were under Luctra's hand and head. Pulling out the hand that she was currently touching the forearm of he let it drop down to his side. Luctra's body was there so he ended up placing his hand on her thigh.

Luctra relaxed happily when Cato's hand reached down and landed on her thigh. It was cupping it, his fingers on the back of it and palm resting on the side. He was rubbing his thumb back and forth over her pants and her skin was jumping at the contact. This was a good sign, she was at least getting through to him on this level.

"Now who's fucking with someone's head?" Cato sighed, his eyes still closed. Luctra turned her face back up to him. The comment wasn't mean. On the contrary, Cato sounded depressed. As if he had given up on something important. Like felt the pang of quilt knowing that she had caused this, and that Cato hadn't deserved it.

"Can you look at me, please?" She pleaded. Cato remembered cutting out her tracker after she had asked him in that same voice; he would do anything she asked when she asked him like that. His head was resting propped up on his jacket so when he opened his eyes he looked straight into her eyes. She had taken down her pony tail so her hair was free about her face and spread over his abdomen. He hadn't really ever seen her with her hair down naturally and completely dry. She looked good with it down he decided. She was looking at him her eyes bright but afraid. Luctra smiled softly which surprised Cato.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. Cato's eyebrows shot up. That was not what he was expecting from her. He just stared at her rubbing his thumb over her thigh. Luctra took comfort in his touch.

"For what?" Cato whispered his voice still dead. Luctra looked into his eyes which were so sad, like he had just lost everything but had to keep going. He was asking her the same question she had asked him after the shield had been brought down. He had been honest with her so she would do the same.

"For not giving you a chance because I was so wrapped up in my own prejudices." She told him honestly. She saw a tiny spark in his eyes. Cato was worried because he felt a little spark of hope in him come back to life, but Luctra could take it away again so easily so he said nothing. He just kept stroking her leg rhythmically. Luctra continued when Cato didn't say anything.

"Look I have a past and a lot of fears from that. I created a blueprint in my head for who I had to avoid in life and have stuck to it like glue." She sighed, it was tough baring your soul to someone when you had kept it hidden it for so long. Luctra placed her free hand on Cato's bicep under his shirt sleeve. She really liked them; they were so big and firm. She started tracing a pattern absentmindedly. Cato loved her touch and relaxed as he listened to her.

"I was completely terrified of being attracted to you. Because, well, you're Cato." Cato's mouth twitched upwards in the corners a little at that comment. Luctra half grinned at seeing his reaction. "And I didn't want to believe you were also attracted to me because I was attracted to you. It was too hard for me to deal with so I just tried to do what I know best; be a bitch and scare the guy away." Luctra told him slightly ashamed; looking away from his eyes for a moment.

"You never scared me. But you as much as I ripped you apart, you ripped away any chance I had of proving you wrong." Cato admitted. His bicep tingling under her fingers as they continued to trace over it.

"I know that now. Funny how we both hurt each other in the worst way without even knowing we were doing it." Luctra laughed sadly looking back at Cato. Cato smiled a small smile.

"True. Look I'll work on the whole 'jealous hot head' bit, if you work on the whole 'he likes me so he must be evil' bit; okay?" Cato laughed lightly. Luctra smiled at him and nodded her head placing her chin on their piled hands. It was a little funny if you actually thought about what their problems were.

"And if we're pissed off at each other we TELL each other in whatever way works best at the time. No more of this misunderstanding, wrong interpretation crap." Luctra poked his chest each word for emphasis. Cato grinned, taking his hand from her thigh and grabbed the hand that was poking his chest. He intertwined their fingers together. She wasn't wearing the gloves again and his animal purred knowing that she had done this for him, even if it was hard for her because of the scars. He liked feeling her skin on his, even just holding her hand.

"And I will TRY to stop being so aggressive with you." Cato promised dragging out the word 'try'. Luctra smirked. Leaning her face down she gently bit Cato's peck through he's shirt. Cato drew in a sharp breath looking down at Luctra as he felt his member twitch. Luctra looked up at him after hearing his reaction with a devilish grin.

"If you do that you won't be able to keep up with me." Luctra teased.

Cato had never really hurt her. Yes he had caused her some pain but that was usually because they were just a highly physical pair, or because it was a super emotionally charged situation and BOTH of them were lashing out. Cato grinned. He remembered back in the arena how he thought that Luctra's body would be able to match his. Well he had been right and then some, because she could be just as aggressive with her affections as he could.

Luctra leaned up to Cato's face and placed a quick chaste kiss on Cato's lips. He wished it had lasted longer; it was the first kiss she had initiated completely on her own. It was like a drop of a drug he needed to survive. She pulled her face back as she felt him bring his other hand from under hers to run it through her hair. She smiled a heartfelt smile at him, Foxy's advice had worked. She had brought Cato back to life, and back to her.

Cato's heart flared at her smile. No one had looked at him with genuine affection in a long time. That was one of the things he liked about Luctra; her emotions were unclouded since she SUCKED at trying to hide them. He brought his hand from her hair to the side of her face and cupped her cheek. Luctra turned to his palm and placed a quick kiss on it with her lips. Cato could feel her lips on his hand even after they left his skin. Luctra laid her head back down on his chest and closed her eyes. Cato rested one hand on her back and placed the other one back on her thigh possessively. Luctra's animal was not sad anymore now that Cato was underneath her and back to life. Cato's animal pranced around his mind proud that Luctra had come back to him and that she had in some way surrendered into his arms. The both fell into a contented sleep, animal sides and all.

* * *

"What do you mean they blew up the arena?" Finnick asked not quite understanding.

"Not the arena per say but the shield the Capitol designed to control the environment and protect Hunger Games." Brewas clarified. Finnick looked at him dumbfounded.

"Let me get this straight all, some, or one of the Tributes used the random barbaric supplies they had in the arena and brought down a Capitol built and powered shield grid." Finnick said astonished.

"Yes." Granite said. Finnick banged his head on the table. This had Luctra written all over it. If she had broken out of the arena, and Dash was alive with her Finnick would eat his shoe. Because that would mean the damn girl was fucking unstoppable.

"And we have no idea if any of them survived when they brought the shield down, if they are still in the arena if they did, or which way they would have gone after they brought it down." Caylor said stressed.

"The Capitol is going to be looking for them. If they got out we need to get them out of there, before they get captured." President Coin affirmed. She needed the 'Goddess of the Games' alive if she was going to wage her war against the Capitol.

"If they get their hands on them…." Haymitch started. He didn't need to finish. They all knew what the escaped Tributes could face if they were captured by the Capitol. And a lot of them were worse than death.

"My daughter ran through a ring of fire to save that little girl. I'll break down the Capitol walls myself if it comes to that." Caylor announced. Finnick looked at him and suddenly realized where Luctra got her protective, hell hath no fury, nature from.

"Send word to the rebels in District 7. Tell them to be on the lookout for any of the surviving Tributes. I want them evacuated to 13 where we can protect them." President Coin ordered.

Finnick knew that they were now in a race against the Capitol to find them. He rose and ran out of the room, Haymitch not far behind him. They would be part of the recon team that would be sent when they located the Tributes since the Tributes probably wouldn't trust anyone that they didn't know. He just hoped that both Luctra and Dash were a part of that group.

* * *

AN: YAY! They have figured things out! But what does Glimmer have planned? Will the Capitol find them or District 13? Will there be problems because they are in District 7? You'll have to read and find out!

Luv

Rayn


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